Abstract
PURPOSE: The purpose of the current study was to find biomechanics sensitive index of evaluating knee osteoarthritis gait and supply biomechanics theoretical basis for the prevention and rehabilitation of knee osteoarthritis. METHODS: In a gait laboratory, Each subject walked at a self-selected, comfortable pace on a 10-m walkway.A 16-camera motion analysis system and two Kistler force platforms were used to measure kinematic and kinetic data of 13 OA patients(65.9±4.1years,58.1±8.6kg) and 13 controls(63.4±2.3years,55.4±5.8kg) during walking. Intersegmental model of lower extremity joints was built on the basis of conventional kinematic and kinetic analysis.The relationship between active muscle torque and passive torques of hip, knee and ankle joints in two different groups were explored thoroughly. All variables characterizing sagittal-plane joint function were compared between the two groups using Independent-Samples T test. The level of significance for the T test was set at α=0.05. RESULTS: 1. Significant reductions were observed for the OA group compared to the control group in terms of the stride length(1.23±0.09m vs. 1.39±0.09m; P=0.0001) and gait speed(1.28±0.12m/s vs. 1.39±0.13m/s; P=0.03). 2. During the heel-strike portion(hs),midstance portion(ms) and terminal portion(ts) of the stance phase, Significant differences were obtained in the peak angle of left knee between OA and control groups(-6.9°±1.9° vs. -2.2°±1.6°; Phs=0.001;-16.6°±2.5° vs. -18.0°±2.6°; Pms=0.03;-9.2°±2.3° vs. -5.5°±1.9°; Pts=0.001). Besides, knee extensor muscle torque of heel-strike(KFMhs)in OA group are less than that in control group (-16.38±5.55Nm/kg vs. -23.88±9.27Nm/kg; P=0.019). 3. Interactive torque(INT)of ankle in OA group was lower than that in control group during the whole stance phase (INTOA=0.0055±0.0061, INTc=0.0134±0.0078; P<0.01). CONCLUSION: The change of extensor and flexor muscles’ activity in lower extremity induced by knee osteoarthritis will alter the peak angle and muscle torque of knee in different portions of stance phase. So these variables could be considered to be non-invasive diagnostic index in biomechanics of knee osteoarthritis.
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