Offloading

Written by Dr Sheila Strover on March 14, 2025

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.

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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.

"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."

Dylan A Mistry et al

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