Article

OBJECTIVES: To systematically review and synthesize the effects of soft braces on
pain and on self-reported and performance-based physical function in patients
with knee osteoarthritis.
DATA SOURCES: The following electronic databases were
searched from inception to April 20, 2016: The Cochrane Central Register of
Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, SPORTDiscus, Web of Science,
and PEDro. STUDY SELECTION: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and nonrandomized
controlled trials (non-RCTs), such as controlled clinical trials, crossover
studies, and case-control studies, were included. Two reviewers independently
screened articles and determined inclusion through predefined criteria. DATA
EXTRACTION: Data related to participant demographics, study design and methods,
interventions, and outcomes, including numerical means and SDs, were extracted by
1 reviewer. Methodological quality assessment was independently performed by 2
reviewers. DATA SYNTHESIS: Eleven studies were identified, including 6 RCTs and 5
non-RCTs. The methodological quality of included RCTs was low. There was a
moderate improvement in pain (standardized mean difference [SMD]=.52; 95%
confidence interval [CI], .14-.89; P=.007; 284 participants) in favor of wearing
a brace compared with not wearing a brace for the immediate, within-group
comparison. There was a moderate improvement in pain (SMD=.61; 95% CI, .33-.89;
P<.001; 206 participants) and a small to moderate improvement in self-reported
physical function (SMD=.39; 95% CI, .11-.67; P=.006; 206 participants) in favor
of patients receiving a soft brace versus standard care for the prolonged effect,
between-group comparison. CONCLUSIONS: Currently available evidence indicates
that soft braces have moderate effects on pain and small to moderate effects on
self-reported physical function in knee osteoarthritis. These findings highlight
the importance of soft braces as a technique to improve pain and physical
function in both the short- and long-term. Additional high-quality studies are
warranted to improve confidence in the findings.
CI - Copyright (c) 2017 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by
Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Langue : ANGLAIS