Abstract
Pain is the most significant symptom of knee osteoarthritis (OA), which seriously affects the quality of life of patients. However, the cause of pain, pain relief, and targeted treatment methods are still unclear. Based on the diversified characteristics of knee pain location, this study was aimed to explore the associations between knee pain location and the mechanical properties of soft tissues in patients with knee OA. Fifteen healthy participants and 55 patients with knee OA were recruited and divided into five groups: no pain, anterior superior pain, anterior inferior pain, medial pain, and lateral pain. The Young’s moduli of the muscles, tendons, and ligaments around the knee joint were measured by shear wave elastography (SWE), and the differences between the five groups of soft tissue material properties were compared in this study. The Young’s moduli of the quadriceps tendon (QT), patellar tendon (PT), medial collateral ligament (MCL), and lateral patellar retinaculum (LPR) were strongly associated with pain location and were significantly increased compared with the other four groups, respectively. In addition, the Young’s moduli of the remaining soft tissue were not associated with pain location, and did not change significantly compared with the other four groups. This study provides data reference for the mechanical properties of soft tissue of healthy people and patients with knee OA, and provides a theoretical basis for more targeted pain relief, treatment, and rehabilitation in knee OA.
Highlights
Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is one of the most common chronic degenerative diseases in the elderly people characterized by articular cartilage degeneration, osteophytes, and subchondral bone sclerosis, and accompanied by a variety of symptoms, including pain, stiffness and joint dysfunction
This study provides data reference and theoretical basis for more targeted pain relief, treatment, and rehabilitation of knee OA
Zhang et al [17] compared the mechanical properties of the patellar tendon (PT) in healthy individuals and patients with patellar tendinopathy, and the results showed that the shear elastic modulus of the painful tendons was greater than that of the healthy people
Summary
Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is one of the most common chronic degenerative diseases in the elderly people characterized by articular cartilage degeneration, osteophytes, and subchondral bone sclerosis, and accompanied by a variety of symptoms, including pain, stiffness and joint dysfunction. Pain is the most significant symptom of knee OA [1], [2] and is the main reason for consultation of patients [3]. Information on the pain experience of these patients is mainly obtained through physical examination and questionnaire surveys in clinic [3], [4]. Previous studies have shown that articular cartilage lacks nerves and blood vessels, and does not cause pain itself [5], [6]. There are abundant innervations in the surrounding soft tissues such as muscles, tendons, and ligaments of the knee joint, which may be the main cause of pain in knee OA [7]. It is necessary to study the mechanical properties of soft tissue in patients, and explore the pathogenesis of pain, pain relief, and treatment methods from a new perspective
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