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FRIDAY, Aug. 12, 2016 (HealthDay News) -- For reducing pain from arthritic knees, "unloading" shoes don't offer a leg up over conventional walking shoes, new research indicates.
With their modified midsoles, unloading shoes aim to reduce the force (or "load") placed on an affected knee joint, according to their manufacturer.
But after focusing on one brand -- the "Gel Melbourne OA" shoe by Asics -- the Australian researchers concluded the special shoes were no better for knee arthritis than standard lace-up footwear.
"With its specific design features, [the unloading shoe] does significantly reduce the forces acting across the inner compartment of the knee joint," said study lead author Rana Hinman.
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