NEW YORK (Reuters Health) -
Older adults with knee
arthritis may be able to reduce some of the load on their knee
joint by walking with a cane, a new study suggests.

Australian researchers found that when they had 20 knee
arthritis patients walk with a cane, it lessened the force on
the inner side of the knee joint with each step.

All of the study participants were older than 50 and
suffering from medial knee osteoarthritis — a common form of
arthritis that affects the side of the joint closer to the
midline of the body.

The findings suggest that the majority of people with this
type of knee arthritis can reduce the “load” on the inner knee
by using a cane, senior researcher Dr. Rana S. Hinman told
Reuters Health.

In theory, this could slow the progression of the
arthritis, though that is not yet proven, said Hinman, a senior
lecturer at the University of Melbourne School of
Physiotherapy.

“This may have implications for a reduced risk of disease
progression over time,” she said, “but research is needed to
determine whether this really is the case.”

Hinman and her colleagues report the findings in the
journal Arthritis Care & Research.

The study included 40 men and women with painful medial
knee arthritis. The researchers used a six-camera motion
analysis system to closely study each patient's gait as he or
she walked — both barefoot and while wearing comfortable
shoes.

Half of the study participants also had their gait analyzed
while using a cane on the side opposite of the painful knee.

In general, Hinman's team found, the cane reduced the force
on the inner knee.

On the other hand, walking while wearing shoes put more
stress on the joint than walking barefoot did.

It's not clear why shoes had this effect, according to the
researchers. And since walking around barefoot is not
practical, at least outside of home, no one is recommending
that knee arthritis sufferers try it.

Instead, more studies are needed to see what types of shoes
are best for people with medial knee arthritis, Hinman and her
colleagues say.

In the meantime, it is a good idea for women with the
condition to avoid high heels, Hinman noted, since they are
likely to increase the force on the inner knee. She added that
shoe inserts called laterally- wedged insoles — which are
angled to be higher on the outer edge of the foot — can also
reduce the force on the inner side of the knee.

However, Hinman said, studies have not yet conclusively
shown that the insoles actually improve knee arthritis
symptoms.

SOURCE: Arthritis Care & Research, May 15, 2008.