Gait Using Pneumatic Brace for End-Stage Knee Osteoarthritis

36 patients with end-stage knee osteoarthritis were randomized to be treated with either a pneumatic knee brace or standard physical therapy. The purpose of this study was to determine if the use of a knee brace was associated with significantly improved knee function and gait parameters when compared to physical therapy after 3 months. The results demonstrated that knee OA patients who wore a pneumatic brace had several significantly improved knee parameters compared to baseline, while the patients in the physical therapy group did not, suggesting that bracing may improve the altered mechanics observed in OA patients and delay potential progression of the disease.