Gait Retraining Can Ease Knee Pain & Improve Joint Biomechanics — Evidence from Meta-Analysis & Recent Trials
Emerging research shows that retraining how you walk — adjusting gait mechanics and alignment — can significantly reduce knee joint stress and improve pain and function. These findings align strongly with our integrated, whole-body movement approach at Functional Patterns.
What the research shows:
A 2022 meta-analysis of 18 studies on gait retraining found significant reductions in knee joint loading and osteoarthritis symptoms when patients used gait retraining strategies with real-time feedback compared to control interventions. PubMed
Specifically, gait retraining led to meaningful reductions in the external knee adduction moment (EKAM), the key marker for medial knee load and osteoarthritis risk. PubMed+1
In individual trials, participants who adopted biomechanically optimized gait patterns (less hip adduction, reduced contralateral pelvic drop, better alignment) experienced less knee pain, improved function, and reductions in load rates — benefits that endured at follow-up. scholars.uky.edu+1
Why this matters — and how it supports Functional Patterns:
The knee is rarely an isolated problem. Knee pain often originates from dysfunctional gait, pelvic/hip misalignment, or poor load distribution — all issues our whole-body movement assessments aim to identify and correct.
By retraining gait mechanics instead of simply strengthening or stretching isolated muscles, clients can reduce knee stress without reliance on medication or surgery.
This research validates gait-based, system-level intervention as a real, evidence-backed alternative for chronic knee pain and joint degeneration — aligning perfectly with our philosophy of root-cause correction.
If you’ve struggled with knee pain, instability, or poor mechanics — and want to try a holistic, movement-based approach backed by science — book an assessment today, or explore our online training for guided gait retraining and movement correction.
Research link:
Rynne, R. et al. (2022). Effectiveness of gait retraining interventions in individuals with hip or knee osteoarthritis: A systematic review and meta-analysis. (PubMed summary)