Experimentally Induced Knee Effusion Does Not Simulate Sustained Ground Reaction Force Profiles During Overground...

Area of Science:

• Biomechanics
• Orthopedics
• Knee Osteoarthritis Research

Background:

• Unilateral anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) is associated with altered bilateral limb loading, potentially contributing to knee osteoarthritis.
• Experimentally induced knee effusion (EIKE) models have shown altered biomechanics, but their effect on limb loading during overground walking is unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the acute bilateral effects of unilateral EIKE on limb-level loading during overground walking.
• To determine if EIKE simulates the loading patterns observed in ACLR patients linked to knee osteoarthritis.

Main Methods:

• Ten participants completed gait trials at habitual speed before and after unilateral EIKE.
• Functional waveform analysis compared time-normalized vertical, anteroposterior, and mediolateral ground reaction forces (GRFs) relative to body weight.

Main Results:

• EIKE led to less dynamic anteroposterior GRFs in the effused limb.
• The contralateral limb showed increased vertical GRFs and altered anteroposterior GRFs.
• No significant changes in vertical GRFs were observed in the effused limb.

Conclusions:

• Unilateral EIKE does not induce the bilateral limb loading patterns previously associated with knee osteoarthritis development.
• EIKE may not fully replicate the chronic biomechanical changes observed post-ACLR relevant to osteoarthritis progression.