Sensorimotor changes and functional performance in patients with knee osteoarthritis

• DOI: 10.1136/ard.56.11.641
• Publication Date: 2008-12-06T00:32:33Z
• Authors: Michael V Hurley; David L Scott; Joanne Rees; Di J Newham
• Keywords: Proprioception

<h3>OBJECTIVE</h3> Muscles are essential components of our sensorimotor system that help maintain balance and perform a smooth gait, but it is unclear whether arthritic damage adversely affects muscle function. Quadriceps function in patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA) was investigated, these changes were associated impairment functional performance. <h3>METHODS</h3> strength, voluntary activation, proprioceptive acuity (joint position sense acuity) assessed 103 OA compared 25 healthy control subjects. In addition, their postural stability, objective performance (the aggregate time for four activities daily living), disabilities (Lequesne index) also investigated. <h3>RESULTS</h3> Compared the subjects, had weaker quadriceps (differences between group mean 100N, CI 136, 63N), poorer activation (20% 13, 25%) weakness, impaired joint (1.28°, 0.84, 1.73°). As more unstable (p=0.0017), disabled (10, 7, 11), (19.6 seconds, 14.3, 24.9 seconds). The most important predictors disability strength. <h3>CONCLUSIONS</h3> OA, articular may reduce motoneurone excitability, which decreases thus contributing to diminishes acuity. arthrogenic decreased stability reduced patients.