A network meta-analysis of 139 randomized clinical trials including 9,644 patients found knee bracing most effective among 12 nonpharmacologic therapies for knee osteoarthritis, with hydrotherapy and exercise ranking next. Ultrasound consistently ranked lowest. Researchers noted that knee orthoses can apply a valgus force or modify ground reaction forces to reduce medial knee load. Limitations included heterogeneous treatment durations, small sample sizes, and English-only studies.

Source: PloS One