Sit-to-stand alterations in advanced knee osteoarthritis

Area of Science:

• Biomechanics
• Orthopedics
• Kinesiology

Background:

• Knee osteoarthritis (OA) significantly affects daily activities, including sit-to-stand (STS) tasks.
• Understanding compensatory movement strategies in OA is crucial for developing targeted interventions.
• Previous research has focused on knee-specific alterations, but full-body strategies remain less explored.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate full-body movement strategies during STS in patients with advanced knee OA.
• To examine the association between altered STS kinematics and clinical measures like pain and function.
• To compare movement patterns between knee OA patients and healthy elderly adults.

Main Methods:

• Utilized 3D motion analysis and force plates to capture kinematics and kinetics during STS.
• Recruited 25 patients with advanced knee OA and 20 healthy elderly controls.
• Assessed pain and functional capacity using the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC).

Main Results:

• Knee OA patients exhibited a 10% greater weight shift to the contralateral side during STS compared to controls.
• Significantly lower knee flexion moments and higher maximal trunk flexion were observed in the OA group.
• Patients with knee OA displayed increased lateral trunk lean and a positive correlation between pain and STS duration (r=0.55).

Conclusions:

• Patients with advanced knee OA employ distinct full-body compensatory strategies during STS, involving weight redistribution and altered trunk kinematics.
• These biomechanical alterations are linked to clinical symptoms, particularly pain, highlighting a complex interplay between OA, movement, and function.
• Quantifying these proximal and distal compensations provides valuable insights into functional limitations in knee OA.