Groundbreaking results: Digital Knee® intervention shows promising outcomes for osteoarthritis patients
A recent clinical trial conducted at the prestigious Shirley Ryan Ability Lab in Chicago has revealed exciting results for individuals suffering from knee osteoarthritis. The study, led by world-renowned physician-scientist Prof Jayabalan, investigated the impact of Opum's Digital Knee® intervention on patients with this debilitating condition.
Study Overview
The 12-week randomized control trial, registered under NCT05222503, compared two groups of participants:
Control Group: Utilized a medial off-loader brace and followed a self-guided PT program.
Digital Knee® Group: Employed a medial off-loader brace equipped with the Digital Knee® sensor and followed a self-guided PT program.
The Digital Knee® is an innovative goniometer-based sensor integrated with a remote patient monitoring (RPM) platform and clinical data standard. This technology was paired with the Rebel Reliever medial off-loader knee brace, known for its pain relief properties in osteoarthritis patients.
Key Findings
The results of the study were nothing short of remarkable:
Improved Patient Retention: The Digital Knee® group showed a 20% higher retention rate compared to the control group, with 89% of participants completing the study
Enhanced Quality of Life: Participants using the Digital Knee® experienced clinically significant improvements in all five KOOS survey sub-scores, including pain, symptoms, activities of daily living, sports, and quality of life. In contrast, the control group only saw improvements in two areas
Increased Mobility and Strength:
The Digital Knee® group demonstrated significant improvements in aerobic capacity and endurance during the 6-minute walk test.
Walking speed improvements were more pronounced in the Digital Knee® group for both comfortable (0.13±0.18m/s; p=0.001) and fast paces (0.16±0.26m/s; p<0.001).
Strength, balance, and fall risk, as assessed by the 5x sit-to-stand test, showed significant improvements in the Digital Knee® group
Weight Management: Participants using the Digital Knee® experienced more than three times the weight loss (-1.07±1.93kg) compared to the control group (-0.32±1.99kg)
Implications for Osteoarthritis Treatment
These findings suggest that the integration of the Digital Knee® technology with conventional knee braces could revolutionize the treatment of knee osteoarthritis. The significant improvements in mobility, strength, and quality of life indicators demonstrate the potential of this innovative approach to enhance patient outcomes and engagement in their treatment process. The study's success at the Shirley Ryan Ability Lab, which is ranked as the #1 rehabilitation hospital in the US, lends further credibility to these promising results. As we continue to explore the possibilities of personalized medicine in osteoarthritis treatment, the Digital Knee® stands out as a beacon of hope for millions of individuals struggling with this condition.
