Effect of 8-Week Use of Knee Braces on the Electrical Activity Frequency of Lower Limb Muscles in Men With Genu Varus While Walking

Abstract

Background and Aims Genu varus is one of the most common lower limb deformities that can affect a person’s daily activities and sports performance. This study aims to investigate the effect of the 8-week use of knee braces on the electrical activity frequency of muscles in men with genu varus during walking. Methods This is a quasi-experimental study on 30 male college students with genu varus (aged 20-30 years) who were randomly divided into control and intervention groups. Corrective exercises were performed for 8 weeks using knee braces in the intervention group. The electrical activity of selected muscles was recorded by an electromyography system. For statistical analysis, ANCOVA was used. The significance level was set at 0.05. Results During the loading phase, the results showed a lower frequency of biceps femoris muscle in the intervention group compared to the control group (P=0.041). The frequency of muscles did not show any significant difference between groups in the mid-stance and push-off phases (P>0.05). Conclusion Given the decrease in the frequency of biceps femoris muscle activity in men who used knee braces, it can be concluded that the 8-week use of these brace can be effective in reducing shock absorption in the lower extremity.