Age-Related Changes in Strength, Joint Laxity, and Walking Patterns: Are They Related to Knee Osteoarthritis?

Background and Purpose Aging is associated with musculoskeletal changes and altered walking patterns. These changes are common in people with knee osteoarthritis (OA) and may precipitate the development of OA. We examined age-related changes in musculoskeletal structures and walking patterns to better understand the relationship between aging and knee OA. Methods Forty-four individuals without OA (15 younger, 15 middle-aged, 14 older adults) and 15 individuals with medial knee OA participated. Knee laxity, quadriceps femoris muscle strength (force-generating capacity), and gait were assessed. Results Medial laxity was greater in the OA group, but there were no differences between the middle-aged and older control groups. Quadriceps femoris strength was less in the older control group and in the OA group. During the stance phase of walking, the OA group demonstrated less knee flexion and greater knee adduction, but there were no differences in knee motion among the control groups. During walking, the older control group exhibited greater quadriceps femoris muscle activity and the OA group used greater muscle co-contraction. Discussion and Conclusion Although weaker, the older control group did not use truncated motion or higher co-contraction. The maintenance of movement patterns that were similar to the subjects in the young control group may have helped to prevent development of knee OA. Further investigation is warranted regarding age-related musculoskeletal changes and their influence on the development of knee OA.

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Evaluation of Gait Speed after Applying Kinesio Tape on Quadriceps Femoris Muscle in Patients with Knee Osteoarthritis

Open Access Macedonian Journal of Medical Sciences ◽

10.3889/oamjms.2018.273 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 6 (8) ◽

pp. 1394-1398 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Klejda Tani ◽

Irena Kola ◽

Vjollca Shpata ◽

Fregen Dhamaj

Keyword(s):

Knee Osteoarthritis ◽

Clinical Diagnosis ◽

Gait Speed ◽

Quadriceps Femoris ◽

Walk Test ◽

Kinesio Tape ◽

Quadriceps Femoris Muscle ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Femoris Muscle ◽

10 Meter Walk Test

BACKGROUND: Knee osteoarthritis is a chronic degenerative disease, known as the most common cause of difficulty walking in older adults and subsequently is associated with slow walking. Functional decline, increased risk of falls and the presence of pain are, in many studies, related to the muscle weakness caused by osteoarthritis especially weakness of the quadriceps muscles. Many studies have shown that the strength of the quadriceps femoris muscle can affect gait, by improving or weakening it. Kinesio Tape is a physiotherapeutic technique, which reduces pain and increases muscular strength by irritating the skin receptors.AIM: This study aimed to verify if the application of Kinesio Tape on quadriceps femoris muscle increases gait speed while decreasing the time needed to accomplish the 10-meter walk test in patients with knee osteoarthritis and also in subjects without knee osteoarthritis.METHOD: In this study, we observed the change of gait speed with the help of the 10-meter walk test before, one day and three days after the application of Kinesio Tape in quadriceps femoris muscle. We compared the results of the time needed to perform the 10-meter walk in two groups. In the first group, the Patients group, participated 102 out-patients with a clinical diagnosis of primary knee osteoarthritis, while in the second group, the Control group, participated 73 subjects with a main excluding criterion a clinical diagnosis of primary knee osteoarthritis.RESULTS: Our results indicated that there was a significant decrease of time needed to perform the 10-meter walk test in both groups three days after application of Kinesio Tape on quadriceps femoris muscle. However, there was not a significant change one day after the application of Kinesio Tape compared before its application in both groups.CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicated that there was a significant decrease in time needed to accomplish the 10-meter walk test. Kinesio Tape is a technique that can be used especially when changing walking stereotypes is a long-term goal of the treatment.

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Estimation of quadriceps femoris muscle dysfunction in the early period after surgery of the knee joint using shear-wave elastography

BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine ◽

10.1136/bmjsem-2018-000381 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 4 (1) ◽

pp. e000381 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Makoto Kawai ◽

Keigo Taniguchi ◽

Tomoyuki Suzuki ◽

Masaki Katayose

Keyword(s):

Shear Modulus ◽

Knee Joint ◽

Patient Group ◽

Quadriceps Femoris ◽

Control Group ◽

Muscle Dysfunction ◽

Shear Moduli ◽

Quadriceps Femoris Muscle ◽

Contraction Ratio ◽

Femoris Muscle

ObjectivesOrthopaedic surgery of the knee joint results in functional deterioration of the quadriceps femoris muscle. However, little is known about quadriceps femoris muscle dysfunction in the early postsurgical period. Therefore, we examined the stiffness of the quadriceps femoris muscle in the early postsurgical period.MethodsSeven patients and seven healthy controls performed quadriceps contraction exercises. In resting and contraction conditions, the shear modulus, muscle thickness and pennation angle were measured for the vastus medialis (VM), vastus lateralis (VL) and the rectus femoris (RF) using ultrasound elastography.ResultsThe shear moduli of the VM, VL and RF in the control group did not significantly interact, while the shear moduli in the patient group did show a significant interaction. In the resting condition, there was no difference between the unaffected and affected sides in the patient group, but the shear moduli of the VM and VL in the contraction condition was significantly lower on the affected side than the unaffected side.The contraction ratios between muscles by limbs did not significantly interact. However, there were main effects due to muscle and limb factors. The VM and VL had a significantly higher contraction ratio than the RF, and the control and unaffected limbs had a higher contraction ratio than the affected limb.ConclusionThe results demonstrated a decrease in muscle stiffness during contraction in patients with quadriceps femoris dysfunction. Measurement of the shear modulus has potential as a new evaluation index and with high sensitivity to decreases in muscle contraction.

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Quadriceps femoris muscle function prior and after total knee arthroplasty in women with knee osteoarthritis

Knee Surgery Sports Traumatology Arthroscopy ◽

10.1007/s00167-011-1808-2 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 20 (10) ◽

pp. 2017-2025 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

Doris Vahtrik ◽

Helena Gapeyeva ◽

Herje Aibast ◽

Jaan Ereline ◽

Tatjana Kums ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Total Knee Arthroplasty ◽

Knee Osteoarthritis ◽

Knee Arthroplasty ◽

Muscle Function ◽

Quadriceps Femoris ◽

Quadriceps Femoris Muscle ◽

Total Knee ◽

Femoris Muscle

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Maximum Voluntary Activation in Nonfatigued and Fatigued Muscle of Young and Elderly Individuals

Physical Therapy ◽

10.1093/ptj/81.5.1102 ◽

2001 ◽

Vol 81 (5) ◽

pp. 1102-1109 ◽

Cited By ~ 127

Author(s):

Scott K Stackhouse ◽

Jennifer E Stevens ◽

Samuel CK Lee ◽

Karen M Pearce ◽

Lynn Snyder-Mackler ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Maximum Voluntary Contraction ◽

Quadriceps Femoris ◽

Voluntary Contraction ◽

Voluntary Activation ◽

Elderly Subjects ◽

Central Activation ◽

Quadriceps Femoris Muscle ◽

Age Related ◽

Young Subjects ◽

Femoris Muscle

Abstract Background and Purpose. Researchers studying central activation of muscles in elderly subjects (≥65 years of age) have investigated activation in only the nonfatigued state. This study examined the ability of young and elderly people to activate their quadriceps femoris muscles voluntarily under both fatigued and nonfatigued conditions to determine the effect of central activation failure on age-related loss of force. Subjects and Methods. Twenty young subjects (11 men, 9 women; mean age=22.67 years, SD=4.14, range=18–32 years) and 17 elderly subjects (8 men, 9 women; mean age=71.5 years, SD=5.85, range=65–84 years) participated in this study. Subjects were seated on a dynamometer and stabilized. Central activation was quantified, based on the change in force produced by a 100-Hz, 12-pulse electrical train that was delivered during a 3- to 5-second isometric maximum voluntary contraction (MVC) of the quadriceps femoris muscle. Next, subjects performed 25 MVCs (a 5-second contraction with 2 seconds of rest) to fatigue the muscle. During the last MVC, central activation was measured again. Results. In the nonfatigued state, elderly subjects had lower central activation than younger subjects. In the fatigued state, this difference became larger. Discussion and Conclusion. Central activation of the quadriceps femoris muscle in elderly subjects was reduced in both the fatigued and nonfatigued states when compared with young subjects. Some part of age-related weakness, therefore, may be attributed to failure of central activation in both the fatigued and nonfatigued states.

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