Knee Orthotics Do Not Influence Coordinative Skills-A Randomized Controlled Crossover Pilot Trial

Robert Prill; Caren Cruysen; Aleksandra Królikowska; Sebastian Kopf; Roland Becker

doi:10.3390/jpm12091509

Knee Orthotics Do Not Influence Coordinative Skills-A Randomized Controlled Crossover Pilot Trial

J Pers Med. 2022 Sep 14;12(9):1509. doi: 10.3390/jpm12091509.

Authors

Robert Prill^{1

2}, Caren Cruysen^{1

2}, Aleksandra Królikowska³, Sebastian Kopf^{1

2}, Roland Becker^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Center of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, University Hospital Brandenburg/Havel, Brandenburg Medical School Theodor Fontane, 14770 Brandenburg an der Havel, Germany.
² Faculty of Health Sciences Brandenburg, Brandenburg Medical School Theodor Fontane, 14770 Brandenburg an der Havel, Germany.
³ Ergonomics and Biomedical Monitoring Laboratory, Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, Wroclaw Medical University, 50-367 Wroclaw, Poland.

Abstract

Objective: This single-blind randomized controlled crossover pilot trial investigated whether hard or soft knee orthotics affect the back in action (BIA) test battery performance.

Methods: Twenty-four healthy participants (13 males, 11 females) were randomly assigned into three equal groups differentiated through the order of device use. The data were collected in a laboratory setting. BIA test battery (balance tests, vertical jumps, and parkour hop tests) was run with a rigid orthotic device, a soft brace, or no aid in a crossover order. Analysis of Variance repeated measures and Friedman Test were used to calculate depended-group differences.

Results: No significant or clinically relevant effect or differences was observed between running the BIA with a soft brace, rigid orthosis, or no aid (p = 0.53-0.97) for all included tests. No adverse events have been observed.

Conclusion: Soft and rigid knee braces do not affect performance in healthy participants. Missing experience with the devices might explain a few influences on feedback mechanisms. There is no disadvantage to be expected regarding healthy participants running back to sports.

Keywords: anterior cruciate ligament; biomedical monitoring; physiotherapy; rehabilitation; return-to-sports; sports.

Grants and funding

The study gained external funding from medi GmbH & Co. KG. The source of funding had no role in the study design, in the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data, in the writing of the report, and in the decision to submit the article for publication.Funded by the MHB publication fund supported by DFG.