Long-term effects of gait retraining for knee osteoarthritis

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19H03970
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 58080:Gerontological nursing and community health nursing-related
• Research Institution: Seijoh University
• Principal Investigator: Ota Susumu 星城大学, リハビリテーション学部, 教授 (50452199)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 長谷 和徳 東京都立大学, システムデザイン研究科, 教授 (10357775) ; 林 尊弘 星城大学, リハビリテーション学部, 講師 (40649787) ; 藤田 玲美 星城大学, リハビリテーション学部, 助教 (50735660)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 変形性膝関節症 / ドローイン / フィードバック / 歩行 / 膝関節負荷 / 姿勢 / 膝痛

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study is the development and clinical application of a method to reduce the load on the knee joint during walking for the treatment and prevention of knee osteoarthritis (knee OA), which is a major cause of need for assistance in Japan. We have reported that draw-in (contraction of deep abdominal muscles by indenting the abdomen), which stabilizes the torso, reduces the knee joint load, and we have developed and clinically applied a feedback device for this method. We developed a belt-type device with a sliding buckle using magnets, and put it to practical use. When this method was applied to knee OA patients, it was found to reduce knee pain and improve posture. We found that patients with knee OA often suffer from urinary leakage, and we began basic research on the draw-in device for urinary leakage.

Free Research Field

運動器理学療法

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

変形性膝関節症（膝OA）は，本邦における要支援の主な原因であり，世界的にも罹患者は増大している．その治療，予防方法として膝関節の負荷を軽減させる歩行方法の研究が進んでいる．その中で我々が提唱する体幹を安定させるドローイン（腹部をへこませ腹部深部筋を収縮）を歩行に応用することは，簡単でかつ継続しやすい．我々はドローインをフィードバックするツールも開発し，膝OA症例に応用した．その結果，膝痛軽減と姿勢改善の結果が得られた（学術的意義）．また，実際に応用しやすい方法のため，膝OAの予防に繋がれば医療費軽減効果も含め，社会的な意義も高い．