Effects of Textured Insoles on the Balance of Individuals with Knee Osteoarthritis in Dynamic Perturbations
Round 1
Reviewer 1 Report
Thank you for submitting this paper to Applied Sciences. The manuscript under consideration: "Effects of Textured Insoles on the Balance of Individuals with Knee Osteoarthritis in Dynamic Perturbations" is an interesting article on an important topic in Applied Sciences. However, there are a few major concerns.
1. Introduction should include more studies relating to visual, vestibular, and somatosensory.
2. Please, rebuld the results with only women; do not use 2 men
3. Another issue that needs to be clarified is the sample size. How did the authors determine the sample appropriate size?
4. Please report on the reliability and precision of sensory organization test. Should provide some evidence of this to ensure tests were reliable.
5. What is the physiological basis for the selected test?
6. Study population are not-clear.
7. Please add more information about the research design (cross-sectional study) such as clarify period the researchers spent to collect data? Is it impact the cross-sectional data?
8. Describe in detail the measurement time and measurement limb position for sensory organization test.
Author Response
Response to Reviewer 1 Comments
I would like to express our appreciation to the reviewer 1 for your helpful and insightful comments, and for providing suggestions for how to improve the manuscript. In light of the comments from Reviewer 1, I have completely re-written large parts of the manuscript, taking into account the comments from reviewer 1. I have provided detailed responses to the comments below and I hope that the revised version addresses the concerns raised.
- Introduction should include more studies relating to visual, vestibular, and somatosensory.
Response 1: I have completely re-written the introduction of the manuscript to include a better justification and context for the study. It includes studies related to visual, vestibular, and somatosensory.
- Please, rebuild the results with only women; do not use 2 men
Response 2: I strongly believe that it can be interesting to study with only female subjects. However, since this study aims to verify the effect of applying textured insole to people with knee OA who have higher risk of falls because of their balance, I would like to focus on the pathological characteristics of knee OA rather than gender differences. Also, due to small amount of data, I have added the power of tests. Excluding two men from the subject would result in a loss in statistical power, so I would like to include both male and female subjects in this study.
- Another issue that needs to be clarified is the sample size. How did the authors determine the sample appropriate size?
Response 3: I have provided the information using power analysis in the manuscript.
- Please report on the reliability and precision of sensory organization test. Should provide some evidence of this to ensure tests were reliable.
Response 4: I have added previous studies related to validity and internal consistency and test-retest reliability of the Sensory Organization Test.
- What is the physiological basis for the selected test?
Response 5: According to the American College of Rheumatology (ACR), clinical osteoarthritis (OA) is defined by pain in combination with other symptoms, such as stiffness, pain, decreasing muscle strength in the lower limbs and abnormal somatosensations. As a result of these symptoms, people with OA may have reduced physical function and, as a result, a higher risk of falling. A link between OA and falls has been discovered in several prospective studies. Also, previous study concluded that the sensory organization test(SOT) scores and self-reported falls history within the past 6 months were significantly related. It means that SOT can be one of good tools for exploring balance ability in people with knee OA who are at high risk of falls.
- Study population are not-clear.
Response 6: I have added more study population information.
- Please add more information about the research design (cross-sectional study) such as clarify period the researchers spent to collect data? Is it impact the cross-sectional data?
Response 7: I have added more information about the research design. Also, data collection period does not impact the cross sectional data.
- Describe in detail the measurement time and measurement limb position for sensory organization test.
Response 8: I have added the information about the measure time and limb position in the manuscript.
Please see the revised manuscript.
Author Response File: 
Author Response.docx
Reviewer 2 Report
This work, entilted "Effects of Textured Insoles on the Balance of Individuals with Knee Osteoarthritis in Dynamic Perturbations" investigated the degree of benefit from the use of textured insoles for improving balance and compared the balance of people with knee OA to healthy matched peers.
The introduction is complete, extensive and clear described, the methods are well written and present good illustrations to clarify the procedures to the readears.
Results are detailed and well described, the grahphs and image are clear and easy to read.
Author Response
I would like to express my appreciation to the reviewer 1 for your time.
Thank you very much.
Sincerely,
Author Response File: Author Response.docx
Reviewer 3 Report
Some missing information should be added:
1. The name of the test to which the p-values and F correspond (Table 1);
2. The meaning of F value;
3. The meaning of T, Sig., B standarized and unstandarized (Table 4);
4. The meaning of θmax and θmin (Eq. 1);
5. The meaning of p, t, * (Appendix - Tables 1 and 2);
6. The meaning of Z, T, t, Sig. (Appendix - Tables 3-5)
Figs. 4, 5, 6 are illegible.
Due to small amount of data, the power of tests should be given.
Author Response
Response to Reviewer 3 Comments
I thank to reviewer 3 for the time and helpful suggestions that have
greatly improved the manuscript. I have re-written the manuscript and have
hopefully satisfied all the concerns that were raised. I have made detailed responses below.
Some missing information should be added:
- The name of the test to which the p-values and F correspond (Table 1);
Response 1: I have added the information about the test in the introduction part.
- The meaning of F value
Response 2: I have deleted the F value in the table 1 because it was result of independent t-test.
The meaning of T, Sig., B standarized and unstandarized (Table 4);
Response 3: I have re-written the manuscript and made it easier for readers of this journal to understand.
- The meaning of θmax and θmin (Eq. 1);
Response 4: I have added the meaning of θmax and θmin in the manuscript.
- The meaning of p, t, * (Appendix - Tables 1 and 2);
Response 5: I have added meaning in the manuscript.
- The meaning of Z, T, t, Sig. (Appendix - Tables 3-5)
Response 6: I have added meaning in the manuscript.
- Due to small amount of data, the power of tests should be given.
Response 7: I have added the information using power analysis in the manuscript.
Please see the revised manuscript.
Author Response File: Author Response.docx
Round 2
Reviewer 1 Report
Authors have nicely and clearly addressed all my concerns and comments. I have no more comments. I think the manuscript is sufficiently improved.
