Effects of therapeutic approaches in treating varus malalignment of the knee joint

Ošlak, Andreja (author), Vauhnik, Renata (author)

Knee malalignment is shown to be an independent risk factor for osteoarthritis progression. The knee adduction moment is directly correlated with varus malformation and can be decreased with changes in gait pattern, external foot rotation and external support. The aim of this literature review was to determine the effects of different therapeutic approaches in treating varus malalignment of the knee joint. The literature search was conducted in the PubMed and EBSCO databases. We used a combination of English keywords. Studies were screened regarding the inclusion and exclusion criteria. We included five studies investigating the effects of therapeutic approaches in participants with or without osteoarthritis onset. Statistically significant decrease in knee adduction moment was reported in one study, which was implementing modified gait pattern with real time feedback. Other outcome measures were also indicative of potential efficacy in different therapeutic approaches. There is a bigger potential for treating varus malalignment before osteoarthritis (OA) onset. The results indicate that weight-bearing exercise and gait modification in combination with a corrective training protocol provide a potential useful approach to reduce varus malalignment.

• Language: English
• Keywords: varus malalignment, knee joint, knee adduction moment, therapeutic approaches
• Typology: 1.06 - Published Scientific Conference Contribution (invited lecture)
• Organization: ZF - Faculty of Health Sciences
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2024
• Number of pages: Str. 47-52
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-154969
• UDC: 615.8
• DOI: 10.55295/PSL.2024.I8
• COBISS.SI-ID: 188530435
• Publication date in RUL: 12.03.2024

Record is a part of a monograph

• Title: Socratic Lectures : 10th international symposium, Ljubljana, 9. December 2023 : peer reviewed proceedings, part I
• Editors: Veronika Kralj-Iglič, Yelena Istileulova, Anna Romolo
• Place of publishing: Ljubljana
• Publisher: University of Ljubljana Press
• Year: 2024
• ISBN: 978-961-297-266-0
• COBISS.SI-ID: 186758147

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.