Knee Osteoarthritis: Kinesiophobia and Isometric Strength of Quadriceps in Women

Abstract

Introduction. Osteoarthritis is a disease characterized by progressive wear and tear of the joint, with the knee being the most affected region. These patients have reduced mobility and mobility, among other symptoms. Thus, it is necessary to know the variables that influence the ability to walk. Objective. To analyze how much the gait capacity, in the performance of the six-minute walk test, can be influenced by the maximum isometric strength of the quadriceps or by kinesiophobia in women with knee osteoarthritis. Materials and Methods. This is a cross-sectional study with a sample of 49 women diagnosed with osteoarthritis. The evaluation was carried out in a single moment. Variables studied isometric quadriceps strength, level of fear of movement (kinesiophobia), and ability to walk. Simple linear regression analyzes were performed, with gait ability as the dependent variable and maximum isometric strength and kinesiophobia as independent. Data were presented with mean and standard deviation and were analyzed by the SPSS Statistic 22.0 software, considering p < 0.05 as significant. Results. The maximum isometric strength presents a significant difference, directly interfering with the gait ability; as kinesiophobia does not show a statistically significant difference, it does not directly interfere with the ability to walk. Conclusion. Maximal quadriceps isometric strength directly interferes with gait ability in women with knee osteoarthritis, thus suggesting the inclusion of this strategy in treatment programs for this population.

Quadriceps Muscle Mechanics and Knee Osteoarthritis - A 2022 Update

“…Hence, even though animal models studied closely by Herzog and Longino revealed muscle weakness alone can independently increase the risk for joint degeneration processes that lead to osteoarthritis, and Yousef, et al, noted quadriceps muscle weakness did cause a state of increased degeneration of the retro-patellar cartilage of arthritic rabbits, this group implied future work is needed here to delineate whether muscle weakness directly affects joint degeneration, or if changes in function and movement execution associated with muscle weakness are responsible for the increased rate of the onset and progression of osteoarthritis [51,52]. Egloff, et al, noted that while muscle weakness can induce osteoarthritis, that may impact walking ability, it is also possible that it is the strength imbalance between the knee flexors and extensors of an affected leg in the later stages of the disease rather than knee extensor strength alone that can promote further wear of an already disrupted knee joint surface DOI: https://doi.org/10.46889/JOSR.2022.3307 [53][54][55]. Hence it is suggested that measures of both strength, and muscle co-activity assessed in parallel can probably provide additional information related to knee osteoarthritis and how to mitigate its progression and severity than failing to do this [56].…”