Textured Insoles for Improving Balance in Knee Osteoarthritis: Short-Term Effects and Long-Term Sustainability

This study aimed to investigate both immediate and long-term (3 months) effects of textured insoles on balance control in individuals with knee osteoarthritis (OA). Twenty-four participants were divided into two groups: individuals with knee OA (n = 12) and healthy age-matched controls (n = 12). Balance was assessed using the Sensory Organization Test under three conditions: baseline with smooth insoles, immediate effect with textured insoles, and after 3 months of textured insole use. Individuals with knee OA had significantly lower baseline balance performance in complex sensory integration tasks (p < .05). With textured insoles, both groups showed significant improvements particularly in conditions requiring complex sensory integration. The OA group demonstrated marked improvement in Condition 5 (eyes closed with sway-referenced surface) with textured insoles (p = .001, d = -1.043) compared with baseline. These improvements were retained during the 3-month period without meaningful habituation effects. These findings indicate that textured insoles provide an effective intervention to improve balance control in individuals with knee OA, which may have implications for improving postural stability and sensory integration in this population.