A small integrated lateral wedge does not alter knee joint does not alter knee joint moments during walking moments during walking

Claudiane Fukuchi, Jay Worobets , John William Wannop Wannop & Darren Stefanyshyn et al

Footwear Science

ABSTRACT

Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is one of the most Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is one of the most common degenerative disorders. Recently, it common degenerative disorders. Recently, it has been proposed that lateral wedged has been proposed that lateral wedged footwear could play a preventative role by footwear could play a preventative role by reducing the frontal plane knee joint moments reducing the frontal plane knee joint moments during walking. However, these interventions during walking. However, these interventions can be uncomfortable, so it is important to can be uncomfortable, so it is important to determine whether minimal wedging can still determine whether minimal wedging can still have a positive influence. The aim of this study have a positive influence. The aim of this study was to test the influence of a 2° full-length was to test the influence of a 2° full-length lateral wedge on frontal plane knee joint lateral wedge on frontal plane knee joint internal moments during walking. It was internal moments during walking. It was hypothesized that the lateral wedge would shift hypothesized that the lateral wedge would shift the centre of pressure (COP) laterally and the centre of pressure (COP) laterally and decrease the knee abduction moment. Joint decrease the knee abduction moment. Joint kinematics, joint kinetics and the COP kinematics, joint kinetics and the COP trajectory of 15 healthy subjects (seven males trajectory of 15 healthy subjects (seven males and eight females) were obtained when the and eight females) were obtained when the

subjects walked at 1.4 m s subjects walked at 1.4 m s −1 −1 with a Control with a Control shoe and a Lateral Wedge shoe (2° wedge). shoe and a Lateral Wedge shoe (2° wedge). The results of this study showed no difference The results of this study showed no difference between the Lateral Wedge and the Control between the Lateral Wedge and the Control shoe condition in the internal peak knee shoe condition in the internal peak knee abduction moment and the position of the abduction moment and the position of the COP. This suggests that a 2° wedge is not COP. This suggests that a 2° wedge is not sufficient to influence the position of the COP sufficient to influence the position of the COP nor to decrease the internal knee abduction nor to decrease the internal knee abduction moment.

http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/19424280.2012.683044