The Effect of Night Splint Use on Hallux Valgus Angle and Functional Scores in Patients with Hallux Valgus Deformity

Abstract

Objectives: It was aimed to investigate the change in HV angles and functional scores of the patients with Hallux Valgus (HV) deformity during their follow-up with the conservative treatment method, i.e. night splint, in our clinic.

Materials and Methods: The study group of this retrospective study was constituted by patients diagnosed with HV deformity who presented to the Orthopedics and Traumatology Clinic of Ankara Yıldırım Beyazıt University Yenimahalle Training and Research Hospital between January 2017 – May 2018. Files of 227 patients included in the study group were retrospectively screened. Among these patients, the change in HV angle and functional scores were noted for the patients who had an HV angle higher than 25 degrees in foot radiographs and who were conservatively treated with night splints for 6 months (n=76) in order to conduct pre- and post-treatment comparison.

Results: In our study group (n=76), it was observed that the leading causes of presenting with HV deformity, which was more common in the female population (n=68), consisted of pain (53.94%) followed by cosmetic impairment (46.05%), and that HV more frequently showed symptoms in patients working in a standing position (n=33 / 75.75%). There was no significant decrease in HV angles (p=0.563) but a significant improvement in functional scores (pain: p=0.022 and function: p=0.031) after using night splints for 6 months.

Conclusion: Effective and long-term use of night splints in middle aged and older patients, who were diagnosed with HV deformity and have high HV angles, provided a partial decrease in HV angles as well as a significant improvement in functional scores. Long-term use of night splints can be beneficial for increasing the quality of life in patients who do not desire to receive surgical treatment despite having high HV angles.

Keywords

• Hallux valgus,conservative treatment,splints

Halluks Valgus Deformitesi Bulunan Hastalarda Gece Ateli Kullanımının Halluks Valgus Açısı ve Fonksiyonel Skorlar Üzerine Etkisi

Abstract

Amaç: Kliniğimizde Halluks Valgus (HV) deformitesi bulunan hastaların konservatif tedavi yöntemi

olan gece ateli uygulaması ile takiplerinde HV açılarının ve fonksiyonel skorlarındaki değişimin

incelenmesi amaçlanmıştır

Materyal ve Metot: Ocak 2017 – Mayıs 2018 tarihleri arasında Ankara Yıldırım Beyazıt Üniversitesi

Yenimahalle Eğitim ve Araştırma Hastanesi Ortopedi ve Travmatoloji Kliniği’ne başvuran HV

deformitesi tanısı almış hastalar bu retrospektif araştırmanın çalışma grubunu oluşturdu. Çalışma grubu

içinde 227 hasta dosyası geriye dönük olarak tarandı. Hastalardan ayak radyografisinde 25 derece

üzerinde HV açısı olup 6 aylık gece ateli (splint) ile konservatif tedavi edilenlerin (n=76) HV açısı ve

fonksiyonel skorlarındaki değişme kaydedilerek tedavi öncesi ve sonrası karşılaştırmalar yapıldı.

Bulgular: Çalışma grubumuzda (n=76); bayan popülasyonda (n=68) daha sıklıkla görülen HV

deformitesinin başvuru sebepleri arasında ağrının (%53,94), kozmetik bozukluktan (%46,05) ön planda

olduğu ve ayakta çalışılan mesleklerde (n=33 / %75,75) daha sık semptom verdiği izlendi. 6 ay süre ile

gece ateli kullanımı sonrası HV açılarında anlamlı azalama olmadığı (p=0,563) ancak fonksiyonel

skorlamalarda anlamlı düzeyde (ağrı; p=0,022 ve fonksiyon; p=0,031) iyileşme olduğu izlendi.

Sonuç: Orta ve ileri yaş grubunda HV deformitesi bulunan ve HV açılarının yüksek olduğu hasta

grubunda uzun süreli gece atelinin efektif olarak kullanılması HV açısında kısmi azalma ile birlikte

fonksiyonel skorlarda anlamlı derecede düzelme sağlamıştır. Yüksek HV açıları olmasına rağmen cerrahi

tedavi istemeyen hasta grubunda uzun süreli gece ateli uygulaması hayat kalitesinin artmasında yararlı

olabilir.

Keywords

• Halluks valgus,konservatif tedavi,splintler

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