Biomechanical measures of knee joint mobilization

Area of Science:

• Orthopedics
• Biomechanical Engineering
• Physical Therapy

Background:

• Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is a prevalent condition causing pain and functional limitation.
• Manual therapy is a common treatment for knee OA, but its biomechanical properties are not well-quantified.
• Understanding the forces and frequencies applied during manual therapy can optimize treatment efficacy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantify the biomechanical properties (force and frequency) of specific manual therapy techniques applied to the knee joint.
• To assess the intrarater reliability of these biomechanical measures.
• To compare biomechanical parameters between Maitland's grade III and grade IV mobilizations.

Main Methods:

• Twenty participants with symptomatic knee OA were recruited.
• A physical therapist applied tibiofemoral and patellofemoral joint mobilizations at grades III and IV.
• A capacitance-based pressure mat recorded force and frequency during mobilizations, with statistical analysis including ICC and ANOVA.

Main Results:

• Mean and maximal force measurements were recorded for each mobilization type and grade.
• Grade IV mobilizations generally exhibited higher mean forces than grade III.
• Frequency measurements were distinct for each grade (0.9-1.2 Hz for grade III, 2.1-2.4 Hz for grade IV), with excellent intrarater reliability (ICC > 0.90).

Conclusions:

• The biomechanical forces of knee joint mobilizations were comparable to those used in spinal regions.
• Mobilization grade directly influenced force and frequency characteristics.
• High intrarater reliability supports the consistency of these manual therapy techniques for knee OA.