Background: Inclusion Body Myositis (IBM) is an inflammatory myopathy that commonly affects quadriceps strength, resulting in knee buckling and falls. Therefore, patients with IBM should be ideal candidates for stance control orthoses (SCOs).
Objectives: Evaluate the effectiveness of SCO use in patients with IBM who have functional deficits due to quadriceps weakness.
Study design: Cohort study.
Methods: Nine subjects with IBM were provided a stance control orthosis and followed for six months of home use. All patients had objective testing of their strength and gait and completed a questionnaire at baseline and six months. Gait analysis was performed both with and without the orthosis.
Results: Velocity and cadence were lower and step width was higher when using the orthosis. Kinematic measures were largely unchanged with orthosis use. Subjects with less knee extensor weakness had a better outcome than weaker participants. Those who spent more time wearing the orthosis also had a more positive outcome. The participants felt that the SCO was helpful in safeguarding against falls and providing stability.
Conclusions: SCO use will benefit patients with IBM, but care should be taken to choose the SCO option that best suits their individual clinical presentation.
Clinical relevance: This is the first study to examine SCO use in the IBM population. Patients with IBM have quadriceps weakness and will potentially benefit from SCO use. This study suggests that successful SCO management of patients with IBM depends on severity of weakness.