Efficacy of a Flexible Orthotic Device in Osteoporosis Patients

Abstract

Objective: The efficacy of a flexible trunk brace in osteoporosis patients was investigated. Material and method: An open observational study was performed on 50 osteoporosis patients, in order to investigate the efficacy of a new osteoporosis brace (Osteomed, Thaemert). The outcome parameters were pain, daily activity and individual compliance. The period of observation was ca. 2.5 months and the brace was worn continuously during the day. Results: At the end of the period of observation, there was a highly significant reduction in pain in all 50 patients. Pain under stress decreased from 6.1 ± 1.7 to 4.5 ± 1.4 (p < 0.00001); pain when driving decreased from 5.2 ± 2.4 to 3.8 ± 1.9 (p < 0.00001); pain at rest decreased from 4.1 ± 2.4 to 3.1 ± 1.9 (p < 0.0001). More than 50% of the patients estimated that their ability to perform everyday activities was "clearly better" or "better". In addition to the main outcome parameter of pain and activity of daily living, the aspects of "comfort", "handling", "fit", "skin tolerability" and "feeling of safety" were rated as being better by patients who had been previously treated with other braces or bandages than by patients without previous treatment. These differences were statistically significant for the first four aspects. Furthermore, there was an influence of concurrent physiotherapy on the treatment outcome: In patients with continuous physiotherapy the improvement was significantly more pronounced than after its abruption (p = 0.023). Conclusion: This osteoporosis brace could be a useful addition to the medical care of osteoporosis patients and a complement to drug treatment and physiotherapy with regular exercises. According to the results of this study, a present physiotherapy should be accompanied rather than replaced by the orthosis treatment because both modalities seem to enhance each other's effects. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart.