Burcu Ayık1, Nurcan Kağan1, Fulya Bakılan1, Onur Armağan1, Cengiz Bal2

1Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Eskişehir Osmangazi University Faculty of Medicine, Eskişehir, Türkiye
2Department of Biostatistics, Eskişehir Osmangazi University Faculty of Medicine, Eskişehir, Türkiye

Keywords: Balance, knee sleeve, osteoarthritis, posturography

Abstract

Background/Aims: The aim of this study was to compare the acute effects of 2 different elastic neoprene knee sleeves, 1 equipped with 4 metal supports, on balance and pain in patients with knee osteoarthritis (KOA).

Materials and Methods: A total of 60 patients (50 females, 10 males; age mean = 61.13 ± 8.6 years) diagnosed with KOA were randomly divided into 2 groups. Group 1(n = 30): wearing an elastic neoprene knee sleeve, and group 2 (n = 30): wearing a neoprene knee sleeve with 4 metal supports. The Berg Balance Scale (BBS), Timed Up and Go, Functional Reach Test, and Fall Index, calculated using posturography (Tetrax® ;), and the Visual Analogue Scale were employed for the assessment of balance and pain. Clinical assessments were performed before and after wearing the knee sleeves. The sample size was determined by power analysis using balance data (α = 0.05, power = 0.99).

Results: Both groups exhibited statistically significant improvement in intragroup comparisons of all assessment parameters (P < .05). However, the changes in BBS score after wearing the knee sleeve were better in favor of group 2, approaching statistical significance (P= .056).

Conclusion: Both types of neoprene knee sleeves provided immediate benefits in balance and pain among patients with KOA. While the neoprene knee sleeve with 4 metal supports showed slightly greater balance improvement, the difference was not statistically significant. Further longterm studies with larger samples are needed to clarify the effects of different knee sleeves on balance and pain in patients with KOA.

Cite this article as: Ayık B, Kağan N, Bakılan F, Armağan O, Bal C. Comparison of the acute effects of two neoprene knee sleeves on balance and pain in knee osteoarthritis: A randomized, single-blinded, prospective study. ArchRheumatol. 2025;40(2):221-229.

Ethics Committee Approval

This study was approved by Eskişehir Osmangazi University Clinical Research Ethics Committee (Approval No: E-80558721-050.99-413730, Date: 10.11.2022-24).

Peer Review

Externally peer-reviewed.

Author Contributions

Concept – B.A., O.A.; Design – B.A., O.A.; Supervision – B.A., O.A., F.B.; Materials – B.A., N.K., O.A.; Data Collection and/or Processing – B.A., N.K., O.A.; Analysis and /or Interpretation – B.A., F.B., O.A., C.B.; Literature Search – B.A., F.B., O.A.; Writing – B.A., F.B., C.B.; Critical Review – B.A., O.A., F.B., C.B.

Conflict of Interest

The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

Financial Disclosure

The authors declare that this study received no financial support.

Data Sharing Statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available on request from the corresponding author.