Effects of a knee valgus unloader brace on medial femoral articular cartilage deformation following walking in varus-aligned individuals.

Background: Knee varus alignment may increase loading in the medial tibiofemoral compartment, which can increase strain on the articular cartilage. Knee valgus unloader braces seek to reduce loading through the medial femoral compartment, but their effects on cartilage characteristics during dynamic tasks have not been evaluated.

Objective: To determine the effects of a knee valgus unloader brace on medial femoral articular cartilage deformation following a single 5000-step walking protocol in individuals with varus-knee alignment.