Abstract
Osteoarthritis (OA) can negatively impact levels of physical activity (PA), although current clinical advice promotes the benefits of staying active in preventing joint degeneration. In this study, we examine how knee OA, assessed by self-report, clinical assessment and radiographic assessment, impacts upon objectively measured PA 2 years later. The study population is comprised of 114 subjects from the Hertfordshire Cohort Study (HCS). The presence of OA at the knee was determined from self-report, and clinical and radiological examination, defined according to American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria and Kellgren and Lawrence grading system. Two years later, Gulf Coast Data Concepts (GCDC) tri-axial accelerometers were used to measure day-to-day levels of PA. Vertical acceleration peaks over 7 days, expressed in g units, were categorised into low (0.5 ≤ g < 1.0), medium (1.0 ≤ g < 1.5) and high (≥ 1.5 g) impacts. The study comprises 69 men and 45 women. The mean (SD) age was 78.5 (2.6) for men and 78.6 (2.7) for women. Low count numbers were recorded in the medium and high impact bands. We found no significant reduction in low, medium or high impacts in individuals who had been previously diagnosed with self-reported, radiographic or clinical knee OA in this sample after adjustment for age, sex and BMI. In our cohort, participants with knee OA were no less likely to partake in objectively measured weight-bearing activity 2 years after assessment than counterparts without a diagnosis of knee OA.
Highlights
Of the joint disorders affecting older people, osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common
A self-reported diagnosis of knee OA was obtained by asking study participants “Do you have knee osteoarthritis?” and if the response was “yes” the joint affected by OA was ascertained
Radiographic OA was more common than self-report or clinical OA with 41.0% of men and 34.9% of women having radiographic OA (KL ≥ 2) at the tibiofemoral joint, 32.8% of men and 37.2% of women having radiographic OA at the patellofemoral joint and 52.5% of men and 48.8% of women having radiographic knee OA (OA at either the patellofemoral joint or tibiofemoral joint)
Summary
Of the joint disorders affecting older people, osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common. In OA, there is degeneration of the joint involving the articular cartilage in addition to many of the surrounding tissues [2]. This occurs when there is a disruption of the balance between the breakdown and repair of joint tissue, which precipitates the loss of articular cartilage, remodelling of subchondral bone, osteophyte formation, ligament laxity, periarticular muscle weakening, and occasionally synovitis [3]. The most commonly affected joints in OA are the hands, feet, facet joints and large weight-bearing joints such as the knees and hips [2]
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