Effects of Visual Feedback During Balance Training on Knee Function and Balance Ability in Postoperative Patients After Knee Fracture: A Randomized Controlled Trial.
Tian Zhang, Bing Qui, Hong Ju Liu and 4 others
PMID 35322857WHAT IT FOUND
Adding visual feedback training to routine rehab for knee fracture patients improved balance scores after 8 weeks.
However, knee function and gait scores showed no difference between groups at 4 weeks, suggesting the benefit is specific to balance stability rather than immediate functional recovery.
Key findings
01Visual feedback training significantly improved balance metrics (center of pressure length and area) compared to routine care after 8 weeks.
02There was no significant difference between groups in knee function (Lysholm) or gait (Tinetti) scores at 4 weeks.
03Both groups improved in knee function and gait scores after 8 weeks, but the visual feedback group showed greater improvement in balance metrics.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The evaluators were not blinded to group allocation, which could introduce bias in subjective scores like the Lysholm knee score. The study only followed participants for 8 weeks, so it is unknown if the benefits of visual feedback training persist long-term. The study excluded patients who could not ambulate without aids or had neurological conditions, so results may not apply to more complex or severely impaired patients.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that visual feedback training provides an immediate advantage in knee function or gait over routine rehab. At 4 weeks, there was no significant difference between the groups in these outcomes, so the benefit appears to emerge later and is most distinct in balance stability metrics.