Foot and ankle issues may increase risk of knee OA
In individuals at risk for knee osteoarthritis (OA), the presence of foot and ankle symptoms is associated with increased odds of developing symptomatic and radiographic knee OA four years later, according to research from the University of Melbourne in Australia.
Lateral knee wedges can reduce pain associated with medial knee osteoarthritis
By Jordana Bieze Foster, Lower Extremity Review January 2017
Investigators analyzed 1020 individuals from the Osteoarthritis Initiative database who had risk factors for knee OA but no symptoms or radiographic evidence of the disease. Those who had foot or ankle symptoms at baseline were 3.28 times more likely than those who did not have foot or ankle issues to develop symptomatic radiographic knee OA four years later. Radiographic knee OA was defined by a Kellgren-Lawrence score of 2 or higher.
The odds of developing symptomatic radiographic knee OA were 3.08 times higher in individuals with contralateral foot/ankle symptoms at baseline than those without. In those with bilateral foot/ankle symptoms at baseline, the odds of symptomatic radiographic knee OA were 4.02 times higher than in those with no foot or ankle issues.
The findings were epublished in December by Osteoarthritis & Cartilage.
Source Lower Extremity Review
| References |
The relationship between foot and ankle symptoms and risk of developing knee osteoarthritis: data from the osteoarthritis initiative, Paterson KL, Kasza J, Hunter DJ, Hinman RS, Menz HB, Peat G, Bennell KL. Osteoarthritis Cartilage. 2016 Dec 7. pii: S1063-4584(16)30441-1. doi: 10.1016/j.joca.2016.12.003. [Epub ahead of print] Full text, PDF
| Further reading |
Laterally elevated wedged insoles in the treatment of medial knee osteoarthritis: a prospective randomized controlled study, Maillefert JF, Hudry C, Baron G, Kieffert P, Bourgeois P, Lechevalier D, Coutaux A, Dougados M. Osteoarthritis Cartilage. 2001 Nov;9(8):738-45.
The effectiveness of self-adjustable custom and off-the-shelf bracing in the treatment of varus gonarthrosis, Draganich L, Reider B, Rimington T, Piotrowski G, Mallik K, Nasson S. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2006 Dec;88(12):2645-52.
Braces and orthoses for treating osteoarthritis of the knee, Duivenvoorden T, Brouwer RW, van Raaij TM, Verhagen AP, Verhaar JA, Bierma-Zeinstra SM. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2015 Mar 16;(3):CD004020. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD004020.pub3.
Also see
Medial Knee OsteoArthritis (OA) – What Else Can You Do? — Unload it and more Pain Management Discussion Forum
