Ru-Lan Hsieh, Wen-Chung Lee
Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Shin Kong Wo Ho-Su Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan. E-mail: M001052@ms.skh.org.tw
DOI: 10.2340/16501977-1254

Objective: To investigate the immediate and medium-term effects of custom-moulded insoles on patients with knee osteoarthritis.
Design: Before-after trial, followed up for 6 months.
Subjects: Forty participants, mean age 61 years, who fulfilled the combined radiographic and clinical criteria for knee osteoarthritis, as defined by the American College of Rheumatology.
Methods: Custom-moulded insoles with a 5º lateral wedge and arch support were prescribed. Immediate assessment was performed with and without the custom-moulded insoles, and follow-up assessments on pain, balance control, physical function, and physical activity were performed at 1, 3, and 6 months.
Results: Significant medium-term effects were represented by reductions in pain (p = 0. 003), improved physical functioning (p = 0. 006), and decreased chair-rising time (p = 0. 016) over the duration of the 6-month follow-up period. Significant immediate increases in physical activity scores for the 10-m normal-speed walking test (p = 0. 007), stair-climbing test (p = 0. 040), and chair-rising test (p = 0. 030) were also observed in patients wearing the custom-moulded insoles, compared with tests performed without the insoles.
Conclusion: Using custom-moulded insoles provides medium-term pain reduction and improved physical functioning and physical activity, as well as immediate beneficial effects regarding physical activity.