Offloading is changing the forces through the knee joint to protect a damaged area.
Offloading the one side of the knee joint via osteotomy
Osteotomy surgery may be indicated if only the medial or lateral compartment of the knee showing signs of stress. This may include high tibial osteotomy, distal femoral osteotomy or a combination.
Offloading the one side of the knee joint with an unloader brace
A non-operative way of unloading the one side of the joint is via the use of an unloader brace.
Peer-reviewed papers
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Quote:
"Unloader braces are an economical and effective treatment for unicompartmental knee osteoarthritis. They can significantly improve a patient's quality of life and potentially delay the need for surgery."
Citation: Mistry DA, Chandratreya A, Lee PYF. An Update on Unloading Knee Braces in the Treatment of Unicompartmental Knee Osteoarthritis from the Last 10 Years: A Literature Review. Surg J (N Y). 2018 Jul 2;4(3):e110-e118. doi: 10.1055/s-0038-1661382. PMID: 29978048; PMCID: PMC6028281.
Synonyms:
unloading
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