Revolutionary Breakthrough: Scientists Unveil Natural Solution That Could End Joint Pain Forever—No Pills, No Surgery!
Ever wonder if the way you walk could be your secret weapon against knee pain? I mean, who thought just tweaking your gait might punch knee arthritis right in the gut as effectively as popping a painkiller? Well, a groundbreaking study recently dropped a bombshell: “gait retraining” — yep, simply relearning how to walk — might be the game changer those suffering from knee arthritis have been waiting for. Picture this: no more relying solely on meds, injections, or enduring surgery. Instead, by cleverly adjusting your foot angles and walking patterns, you could ease the strain on your knees and potentially slow down the wear and tear on your cartilage. It’s like turning your steps into stealthy bodyguards protecting your joints. Intrigued? This could be the breakthrough relief you never saw coming.
- A new study found that “gait retraining” could be an effective strategy for combating pain with knee arthritis.
- The researchers found that retraining the way people walk can be as effective as taking pain medication.
- If you suffer from pain with knee arthritis, these findings could help provide some relief.
If you’re dealing with knee pain that just won’t quit, you could have something called osteoarthritis, a painful disease where the cartilage that cushions your joints is worn down. While treatments for arthritis are limited at best—you’re looking at continuous painkiller use, injections, or even surgery—new research suggests that there may be an effective way to treat this condition without surgery or medication.
The study, which was published in The Lancet Rheumatology, found that something called “gait retraining” could be an effective strategy for combating pain with knee arthritis. Lead study author Scott Uhlrich, PhD, director of the Movement Bioengineering Lab at University of Utah, says he hopes this will give patients more choices for treatment. “The current treatment options are not great,” he admits.
So, what is gait retraining and how can it help with knee pain? Here’s the deal.
Meet the experts: Michael Policella, PT, DPT, clinical assistant professor in the physical therapy program at University at Buffalo; David Kruse, MD, primary care sports medicine physician at Cedars-Sinai Orthopaedics in Los Angeles, CA; Scott Uhlrich, PhD, lead study author and director of the Movement Bioengineering Lab at University of Utah
What did the study find?
For the study, Uhlrich and his research team recruited 68 people with knee osteoarthritis. After undergoing a baseline MRI and gait analysis, the participants were divided into two groups. Half of them were put in a “sham” treatment group where they were asked to walk with foot angles that were the same as their natural gait. But the other half was asked to follow a foot angle adjustment that was designed to reduce stress on their knee.
Both groups did six weekly training sessions in a lab, receiving biofeedback to help guide them to keep their recommended foot angle while they walked on a treadmill. Then, they were asked to continue to practice the gait for at least 20 minutes a day until it became a habit. During follow-up visits, the researchers found that the participants were able to stick with their recommended gait.
A year later, the participants were given an MRI to look at the damage to their knee cartilage and asked to rate their knee pain. Those who underwent the “real” gait retraining had lowered levels of pain that are similar to people who take pain medication for joint pain, Uhlrich says. They also had less damage to their knee cartilage than those in the placebo group.
What is gait retraining?
Gait retraining isn’t a new concept, and it’s currently used in lots of physical therapy practices. “It doesn’t require a device or surgery,” Uhlrich explains. “You subtly change the way you walk.”
With gait retraining, each joint is analyzed, from your feet, knees, hips, pelvis, and trunk, up to your head, says Michael Policella, PT, DPT, clinical assistant professor in the physical therapy program at University at Buffalo.
“Once the analysis is complete, an individualized plan is created to attempt to restore an optimal pattern of walking for that patient,” Policella says. That can include modifying your step length, adjusting weight balance with each step, and adjusting movements, he explains.
“Gait retraining has long been used by physical therapists to help those with pain or difficulty during walking and activity,” Policella says.
But gait retraining requires regular practice to see results. “It can be very difficult” to completely change your gait pattern, points out David Kruse, MD, primary care sports medicine physician, of Cedars-Sinai Orthopaedics in Los Angeles, CA.
How does it help aching joints?
Gait retraining is centered around the concept that when people have excessive forces on their knee, it accelerates osteoarthritis, Uhlrich says. “For example, for people with osteoarthritis on the inside of the knee, it redistributes the forces [on the knee during walking and running] from the inside of the knee to the outside where the cartilage is more healthy,” he explains.
Ultimately, gait retraining offloads the areas of joints that are struggling and redistributes the forces to areas that can tolerate force more.
“By optimizing a patient’s gait, even through small changes, it can have large and lasting beneficial effects on a patient’s knee,” Policella says.
How long does it take to see results using gait retraining?
The latest study didn’t look at how fast someone can see results with gait training. But Policella says it depends on the individual. “There isn’t a gold standard answer yet in the research,” he says. “It appears the most common protocol is approximately six weeks of gait training, with some studies opting for eight or 12-week programs.”
But results also depend on how likely patients are to follow the treatment plan, and how much feedback they get from a physical therapist, Policella says. “Gait is something that is seldom focused on during our day, and changing habits and positioning, especially if they are chronic, will take time,” he says. “A patient should expect to see some benefits in six weeks and will have a good sense if this is something that will be beneficial to them.”
Where can I find someone to help with gait retraining?
Most physical therapists will use gait retraining when working with patients, but each is different, Policella says. He recommends searching for an orthopedic physical therapist who focuses on one-on-one individualized patient treatment.
But Uhlrich stresses the importance of doing gait retraining under a physical therapist’s guidance versus trying to figure this out on your own. “Some people increase their force loading if you give them the wrong thing,” he says. “We don’t advocate that people just pick a gait and try it. The same thing doesn’t work for everybody.”
Korin Miller is a freelance writer specializing in general wellness, sexual health and relationships, and lifestyle trends, with work appearing in Men’s Health, Women’s Health, Self, Glamour, and more. She has a master’s degree from American University, lives by the beach, and hopes to own a teacup pig and taco truck one day.
Post Comment