Musculoskeletal and biomechanical characteristics are better associated with knee clinical condition than radiographic severity in osteoarthritis patients

Abstract

Purpose: The diagnosis of knee osteoarthritis (OA) is typically well established with a clinical evaluation and confirmed with an X-Ray assessing the joint’ structural changes and disease progression. Guidelines also recommend taking into account mechanical factors (static and dynamic) to better understand knee function, since they may influence treatment outcomes. However, the relationship between clinical condition of the knee and biomechanical characteristics is not well known, including how such information stands compared to those from other conventional assessments, such as X-ray and physical assessment.