Can F1, Gökşen A1, Korkusuz F2
1Hacettepe University, Faculty of Health Sciences Department of Physical Therapy, Ankara, Turkey, 2Hacettepe University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Sports Medicine, Ankara, Turkey
Background: If individuals are not able to control their postural stability, they may have balance loss, compensatory adaptation with biomechanical disadvantages and/or fall risk. Due to weakness of the neuromuscular structures of the knee, poor postural control can be observed in individuals especially with aging. There is not enough evidence based studies showed loss of balance and/or postural control in early stage of the knee osteoarthritis (OA). However, it is important early diagnosis of balance or postural control loss in individuals with knee OA for prevention of secondary problems due to muscle weakness.
Purpose: This study was planned with the aim of determining the relationship between muscle strength and postural control in patients with knee osteoarthritis to demonstrate the effect of muscle weakness on postural control in musculoskeletal problems.
Methods: Thirty-three patients (21 women, 12 men) knee osteoarthritis (knee OA) with stage 1 or stage 2 aged between 45 and 65 years were included in the study. The average age of the patients; (50.47 ± 7.44 years). M. Quadriceps Femoris and Hamstring concentric muscle strength were measured at an angular velocity of 60º / sec using Biodex® System Pro3 (Biodex Corp. Shirley NY, USA). Postural stability postural control was assessed using Biodex Balance Systems (Biodex Medical Systems, Shirley, NY, USA) on both feet in open and closed positions. The relation between balance and postural control was evaluated by using "Spearman Correlation Test".
Results: Quadriceps femoris muscle strength was not correlated with total balance score (p = 0.868, r = -0.030), mediolateral balance score (p=0.639, r=-0.085) and anteroposterior balance score (p=0.039, r=-0.829) measured in eyes open position. As similarly, quadriceps femoris muscle strength was not correlated with total balance score (p=0.977, r=-0.005), mediolateral balance score (p=0.300, r=-0.186) and anteroposterior balance score (p=0.176, r=-0.327) in eyes closed measures. There was also no correlation between hamstrings muscle strength with total balance (p = 0.192, r = -0.233), mediolateral balance (p = 0.486, r = -0.126) and anteroposterior balance scores (p = 0.147, r = -0.258) in eyes open measurements, as the same results taken in eyes closed position for relations between hamstrings muscle strength and total balance (p = 0.993, r = -0.048), mediolateral balance (p = 0.281, r = -0.193) and antero posterior balance scores (p = 0.966, r = 0.008).
Conclusion(s): It has been found that poor postural control resulted with increased risk of falls is due to decreased muscle strength in patients with later stages of knee osteoarthritis, whereas there was no study to investigate in patients with early stages. This study showed that there is no relation between knee muscle strength and postural control in patients with early knee osteoarthritis.
Implications: This suggests that some exercise programs in early stages before deterioration of postural control may prevent some deficits and risk of fall in later stages of knee osteoarthritis.
Keywords: Osteoarthritis, Knee, Postural Control
Funding acknowledgements: Self- funded
Purpose: This study was planned with the aim of determining the relationship between muscle strength and postural control in patients with knee osteoarthritis to demonstrate the effect of muscle weakness on postural control in musculoskeletal problems.
Methods: Thirty-three patients (21 women, 12 men) knee osteoarthritis (knee OA) with stage 1 or stage 2 aged between 45 and 65 years were included in the study. The average age of the patients; (50.47 ± 7.44 years). M. Quadriceps Femoris and Hamstring concentric muscle strength were measured at an angular velocity of 60º / sec using Biodex® System Pro3 (Biodex Corp. Shirley NY, USA). Postural stability postural control was assessed using Biodex Balance Systems (Biodex Medical Systems, Shirley, NY, USA) on both feet in open and closed positions. The relation between balance and postural control was evaluated by using "Spearman Correlation Test".
Results: Quadriceps femoris muscle strength was not correlated with total balance score (p = 0.868, r = -0.030), mediolateral balance score (p=0.639, r=-0.085) and anteroposterior balance score (p=0.039, r=-0.829) measured in eyes open position. As similarly, quadriceps femoris muscle strength was not correlated with total balance score (p=0.977, r=-0.005), mediolateral balance score (p=0.300, r=-0.186) and anteroposterior balance score (p=0.176, r=-0.327) in eyes closed measures. There was also no correlation between hamstrings muscle strength with total balance (p = 0.192, r = -0.233), mediolateral balance (p = 0.486, r = -0.126) and anteroposterior balance scores (p = 0.147, r = -0.258) in eyes open measurements, as the same results taken in eyes closed position for relations between hamstrings muscle strength and total balance (p = 0.993, r = -0.048), mediolateral balance (p = 0.281, r = -0.193) and antero posterior balance scores (p = 0.966, r = 0.008).
Conclusion(s): It has been found that poor postural control resulted with increased risk of falls is due to decreased muscle strength in patients with later stages of knee osteoarthritis, whereas there was no study to investigate in patients with early stages. This study showed that there is no relation between knee muscle strength and postural control in patients with early knee osteoarthritis.
Implications: This suggests that some exercise programs in early stages before deterioration of postural control may prevent some deficits and risk of fall in later stages of knee osteoarthritis.
Keywords: Osteoarthritis, Knee, Postural Control
Funding acknowledgements: Self- funded
Topic: Musculoskeletal: lower limb; Orthopaedics; Older people
Ethics approval required: Yes
Institution: Hacettepe University
Ethics committee: Hacettepe University Ethics Committee
Ethics number: 2018-KA-17112
All authors, affiliations and abstracts have been published as submitted.
