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What’s the trick? A small modification in your walking gait could delay any need for knee replacement surgery for years. So say University of Utah bioengineers and musculoskeletal researchers after studying a select group of 68 patients with knee arthritis in a year-long placebo-controlled trial.

Their Lancet Rheumotology study revealed that a slight change in the foot angle while walking reduced both the pain and destructive changes of osteoarthritis as effectively as pain and anti-inflammatory medications. The necessary change in foot angle varied for each individual: for some, turning the toes slightly inward did the trick, while for others, turning outward worked better.

The study participants trained with motion-capture and biofeedback. They then practiced at home until their slightly modified gait felt natural. Remarkably, they stuck with the adjustment for the duration of the study.

The most exciting findings: At the study’s conclusion, the MRI scans of those who modified their gaits revealed less cartilage damage than controls. Their pain relief mirrored that achievable with over-the-counter painkillers like ibuprofen and was nearly as good as even stronger agents.

https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanrhe/article/PIIS2665-9913(25)00151-1/abstract

#osteoarthritis #knee #gait #pain #cartilage #jointreplacement