Personalized Foot Angle While Walking May Ease Knee Arthritis

In a year-long clinical trial, people with knee osteoarthritis who learned a personalized foot angle while walking reported less pain than those given a placebo. The improvement was similar in size to that seen with some medications, and MRI scans indicated slower decline in a cartilage-health marker. The method could offer a non-drug, non-surgical way to manage the condition.

Knee osteoarthritis is common, affecting about 22% of adults older than 40, and ranks among major causes of disability. Cartilage normally lets joints glide with little friction; as it wears down, routine motions like walking, stair climbing, and standing from a chair can hurt. Current care often includes exercise, physical therapy, weight control, and medication, but no treatment reliably rebuilds lost cartilage, so severe cases may require joint replacement.

The yearlong randomized, placebo-controlled trial tested personalized gait retraining. Participants learned a tailored foot angle while walking. Compared with placebo, they reported greater pain reduction, similar in size to some drugs, and MRI showed slower decline in a cartilage-health marker. Researchers from Utah, NYU, and Stanford co-led the work, with VA funding.

Count: First para: Knee(1) osteoarthritis2 is3 common4, affecting5 about6 22%7 of8 adults9 older10 than11 40,12 and13 ranks14 among15 major16 causes17 of18 disability19. Cartilage20 normally21 lets22 joints23 glide24 with25 little26 friction27; as28 it29 wears30 down31, routine32 motions33 like34 walking35, stair36 climbing37, and38 standing39 from40 a41 chair42 can43 hurt44. Current45 care46 often47 includes48 exercise49, physical50 therapy51, weight52 control53, and54 medication55, but56 no57 treatment58 reliably59 rebuilds60 lost61 cartilage62, so63 severe64 cases65 may66 require67 joint68 replacement69. Second: The70 yearlong71 randomized72, placebo