Postural Stability and Proprioception Abnormalities in Patients with Knee Osteoarthritis

Luciana Labanca,Maria Grazia Benedetti,Stefano Zaffagnini,Giuseppe Barone,Laura Bragonzoni

doi:10.3390/app11041469

Luciana Labanca, Maria Grazia Benedetti + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/app11041469

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Abstract

Knee osteoarthritis (OA) leads to the damage of all joint components, with consequent proprioceptive impairment leading to a decline in balance and an increase in the risk of falls. This study was aimed at assessing postural stability and proprioception in patients with knee OA, and the relation between the impairment in postural stability and proprioception with the severity of OA and functional performance. Thirty-eight patients with knee OA were recruited. OA severity was classified with the Kellgren–Lawrence score. Postural stability and proprioception were assessed in double- and single-limb stance, in open- and closed-eyes with an instrumented device. Functional performance was assessed using the Knee Score Society (KSS) and the Short Performance Physical Battery (SPPB). Relationships between variables were analyzed. Postural stability was reduced with respect to reference values in double-limb stance tests in all knee OA patients, while in single-stance only in females. Radiological OA severity, KSS-Functional score and SPPB were correlated with greater postural stability impairments in single-stance. Knee OA patients show decreased functional abilities and postural stability impairments. Proprioception seems to be impaired mostly in females. In conclusion, clinical management of patients with OA should include an ongoing assessment and training of proprioception and postural stability during rehabilitation.

Highlights

Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is one of the most common age-related diseases featured by cartilage loss and subchondral bone damage [1,2]
Even if these latter are typically used to quantify disease severity, it is known that knee OA affects almost all of the other components in the knee joint including the ligaments, the menisci, the nerves and the muscles acting on the affected joint [3,4,5,6]
It has been postulated for a long time that the degeneration of knee joint proprioception increases as osteoarthritis worsens [4,5,6,7,8]

Summary

Introduction

Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is one of the most common age-related diseases featured by cartilage loss and subchondral bone damage [1,2] Even if these latter are typically used to quantify disease severity, it is known that knee OA affects almost all of the other components in the knee joint including the ligaments, the menisci, the nerves and the muscles acting on the affected joint [3,4,5,6]. It has been postulated for a long time that the degeneration of knee joint proprioception increases as osteoarthritis worsens [4,5,6,7,8]. A clear relationship between the impairment of balance and proprioception and the degree of functional impairment as measured by means of common scoring systems has not yet been demonstrated [8]

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