Knee Offloading by Patients During Walking and Running After Meniscectomy.

Area of Science:

• Orthopedics
• Biomechanics
• Sports Medicine

Background:

• Meniscectomy can lead to changes in knee loading patterns.
• Previous assessments of knee loading primarily used treadmill or jog assessments, not overground locomotion.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate knee function and joint moments during overground running and walking post-meniscectomy.
• To compare affected limb function against the contralateral limb and healthy individuals.

Main Methods:

• Collected kinematic and kinetic data during overground running and walking.
• Calculated total knee joint moments (TKJM) and assessed quadriceps strength, perceived function, and kinesiophobia.
• Utilized a mixed linear model for comparative analysis between affected, contralateral, and healthy limbs.

Main Results:

• Affected limbs showed significantly lower TKJM, knee flexion moment (KFM), and knee rotation moment (KRM) during walking compared to healthy individuals.
• Reduced TKJM and KFM were observed in the affected limb during running compared to both contralateral and healthy limbs.
• Individuals post-meniscectomy exhibited lower quadriceps strength and higher kinesiophobia, alongside reduced perceived knee function.

Conclusions:

• Individuals post-meniscectomy demonstrate altered knee-loading strategies, characterized by lower TKJM in the affected limb.
• These alterations in knee loading occur in the sagittal and transverse planes, suggesting modified movement patterns.