Background/Purpose: The aim of this study was to determine the effects of intra-articular hyaluronic acid (HA) injections on gait pattern of both injected and un-injected knees with motion analysis in patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA).

Methods: In a prospective study 49 eligible patients who had knee OA according to the American College of Rheumatology criteria and had grade II-III knee OA in the X-ray examination according to Kellgren and Lawrence Grading Scale, were included in the study. The HA was injected into the affected joints in 62 knees, once a week for three weeks. Gait analysis was performed at baseline, end of treatment protocol and 6-month after treatment by the ELITE Motion Analysis System (BTS S.p.a., Milan, Italy) and two force plates. The motion analysis was assessed by the Davis protocol. 

Results: The mean age of patients was 56.7 ± 6.3 (45-65) years; 45 (91.8%) were women. The ground reaction force was significantly decreased in the injected knees (p<0.05); however, there was no significant decrease (p>0.05) in the ground reaction force over six months. The extensor and flexor moments of the injected knees were significantly decreased (p<0.05) at the end of therapy and 6-month assessments compared with the un-injected knees (p>0.05). There were no significant changes in the walking velocity, stride time and stride length in both injected and un-injected knees over six months (p>0.05).

Conclusion: Our data suggest that intra-articular HA injections can reduce the ground reaction forces and flexion-extension moments, and consequently, lead to decrease in knee loading and improvement in the symptoms.

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ACR Meeting Abstracts - https://acrabstracts.org/abstract/effects-of-intra-articular-hyaluronic-acid-injections-on-gait-pattern-in-patients-with-knee-osteoarthritis/