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Associations between frontal plane joint stiffness and proprioceptive acuity in knee osteoarthritis.Arthritis Care & Research May 2012It has been proposed that proprioceptive impairments observed in knee osteoarthritis (OA) may be associated with disease-related changes in joint mechanics. The aim of... (Comparative Study)
Comparative Study
OBJECTIVE
It has been proposed that proprioceptive impairments observed in knee osteoarthritis (OA) may be associated with disease-related changes in joint mechanics. The aim of this study was to quantify joint proprioception and stiffness in the frontal plane of the knee in persons with and without knee OA and to report the associations between these 2 metrics.
METHODS
Participants were 13 patients with knee OA and 14 healthy age-matched subjects. Proprioceptive acuity was assessed in varus and valgus using the threshold to detection of passive movement (TDPM) test. Passive joint stiffness was estimated as the slope of the normalized torque-angle relationship at 0° joint rotation (neutral) and several rotations in varus and valgus. Analyses of variance were performed to determine the effect of OA and sex on each metric. Linear regression was used to assess the correlation between the TDPM and joint stiffness.
RESULTS
The TDPM was significantly higher (P < 0.05) in the OA group compared to the control group for both varus and valgus, but significant sex differences were observed. Passive joint stiffness was significantly reduced (P < 0.05) in OA participants compared to the control group in neutral and valgus, but not varus, and significantly reduced in women compared to men. A weak negative correlation was observed between the TDPM and stiffness estimates, suggesting that poorer proprioception was associated with less joint stiffness.
CONCLUSION
While both joint stiffness and proprioception were reduced in the OA population, they were only weakly correlated. This suggests that other neurophysiologic factors play a larger role in the proprioceptive deficits in knee OA.
Topics: Adult; Aged; Biomechanical Phenomena; Female; Humans; Knee Joint; Male; Middle Aged; Osteoarthritis, Knee; Proprioception; Range of Motion, Articular
PubMed: 22213576
DOI: 10.1002/acr.21589 -
Journal of ISAKOS : Joint Disorders &... Feb 2024
Topics: Humans; Elbow; Joint Diseases; Elbow Joint
PubMed: 37813307
DOI: 10.1016/j.jisako.2023.09.009 -
Journal of Sports Science & Medicine Dec 2018The aim of this study was to determine the effects of two fatigue protocols on lower-limb joint mechanics, stiffness and energy absorption during drop landings. Fifteen...
The aim of this study was to determine the effects of two fatigue protocols on lower-limb joint mechanics, stiffness and energy absorption during drop landings. Fifteen male athletes completed landing tasks before and after two fatigue protocols (constant speed running [R-FP] and repeated shuttle sprint plus vertical jump [SJ-FP]). Sagittal plane lower-limb kinematics and ground reaction forces were recorded. Compared with R-FP, SJ-FP required significantly less intervention time to produce a fatigue state. The ranges of motion (RoM) of the hip were significantly greater when the athletes were fatigued for both protocols. Knee RoM significantly increased after SJ-FP but not after R-FP (p > 0.05), whereas the RoM of the ankle was significantly greater after R-FP but lower after SJ-FP. When fatigued, the first peak knee extension moment was significantly greater in R-FP but lower in SJ-FP; the second peak ankle plantar flexion moment was lower, regardless of protocols. After fatigue, vertical, hip, and knee stiffness was lower, and more energy was absorbed at the hip and knee for both protocols. Hip and knee extensors played a crucial role in altering movement control strategies to maintain similar impact forces and to dissipate more energy through a flexed landing posture when fatigued compared to when non-fatigued. Furthermore, SJ-FP seems to be a more efficient method to induce fatigue due to less intervention time than R-FP.
Topics: Ankle Joint; Athletes; Biomechanical Phenomena; Fatigue; Hip Joint; Humans; Knee Joint; Male; Running; Young Adult
PubMed: 30479533
DOI: No ID Found -
Journal of Orthopaedic Research :... Mar 2020Joint stiffness due to fibrosis/capsule contracture is a seriously disabling complication of articular injury that surgical interventions often fail to completely...
Joint stiffness due to fibrosis/capsule contracture is a seriously disabling complication of articular injury that surgical interventions often fail to completely resolve. Fibrosis/contracture is associated with the abnormal persistence of myofibroblasts, which over-produce and contract collagen matrices. We hypothesized that intra-articular therapy with drugs targeting myofibroblast survival (sulfasalazine), or collagen production (β-aminopropionitrile and cis-hydroxyproline), would reduce joint stiffness in a rabbit model of fibrosis/contracture. Drugs were encapsulated in poly[lactic-co-glycolic] acid pellets and implanted in joints after fibrosis/contracture induction. Capsule α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) expression and intimal thickness were evaluated by immunohistochemistry and histomorphometry, respectively. Joint stiffness was quantified by flexion-extension testing. Drawer tests were employed to determine if the drugs induced cruciate ligament laxity. Joint capsule fibroblasts were tested in vitro for contractile activity and α-SMA expression. Stiffness in immobilized joints treated with blank pellets (control) was significantly higher than in non-immobilized, untreated joints (normal) (p = 0.0008), and higher than in immobilized joints treated with sulfasalazine (p = 0.0065). None of the drugs caused significant cruciate ligament laxity. Intimal thickness was significantly lower than control in the normal and sulfasalazine-treated groups (p = 0.010 and 0.025, respectively). Contractile activity in the cells from controls was significantly increased versus normal (p = 0.001). Sulfasalazine and β-aminopropionitrile significantly inhibited this effect (p = 0.005 and 0.0006, respectively). α-SMA expression was significantly higher in control versus normal (p = 0.0021) and versus sulfasalazine (p = 0.0007). These findings support the conclusion that sulfasalazine reduced stiffness by clearing myofibroblasts from fibrotic joints. Statement of clinical significance: The results provide proof-of-concept that established joint stiffness can be resolved non-surgically. © 2019 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 38:629-638, 2020.
Topics: Aminopropionitrile; Animals; Collagen; Contracture; Disease Models, Animal; Fibrosis; Hydroxyproline; Joint Capsule; Joint Diseases; Male; Muscle Contraction; Myofibroblasts; Rabbits; Stress, Mechanical; Sulfasalazine
PubMed: 31692083
DOI: 10.1002/jor.24499 -
Unfallchirurgie (Heidelberg, Germany) Nov 2022Arthrofibrosis (AF) is one of the most frequent complications of injuries and surgical interventions on joints, particularly after total knee replacement and anterior... (Review)
Review
Arthrofibrosis (AF) is one of the most frequent complications of injuries and surgical interventions on joints, particularly after total knee replacement and anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. Even though all joints can be affected, most cases involve the knee joint. Patients feel a painful impairment of the range of motion caused by fibrotic tissue formation within and sometimes also outside the joint. The normal healing process is disturbed by mechanical and emotional stressors and severe pain. In 90% of the cases AF occurs even within the first few days after the injury or surgery, so that the quality standards cannot be achieved. Physiotherapy and rehabilitation often do not result in a substantial amelioration of symptoms, so that the activities of daily living (ADL) are severely limited. The clinical diagnostics, differential diagnostics and a novel pathogenesis and stage model of the primary AF with the treatment principles derived from this are presented in this article.
Topics: Humans; Anterior Cruciate Ligament; Activities of Daily Living; Joint Diseases; Knee Joint; Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction
PubMed: 36107205
DOI: 10.1007/s00113-022-01237-1 -
Clinical Biomechanics (Bristol, Avon) Jul 2011Little is known about hip joint stiffness during walking (dynamic joint stiffness) and the effect of hip impairments on biomechanical alterations of other joints in...
BACKGROUND
Little is known about hip joint stiffness during walking (dynamic joint stiffness) and the effect of hip impairments on biomechanical alterations of other joints in patients with total hip arthroplasty.
METHODS
Twenty-four patients (mean age 61.7 years) who underwent unilateral (n=12) or bilateral total hip arthroplasty (n=12) and healthy subjects (n=12) were recruited. In addition to kinematic and kinetic variables, dynamic hip joint stiffness which was calculated as an angular coefficient of linear regression of the plot of the hip flexion moment vs. hip extension angle during the late stance of gait, was measured. Group differences were compared using one-way ANOVA and Tukey's post-hoc test, and relationships between primary hip impairments and secondary gait impairments were found using partial correlation coefficients adjusted for gait speed and stride length.
FINDINGS
Dynamic hip joint stiffness was 47% higher on the side with the more pronounced limp in patients with bilateral arthroplasty than in healthy controls. In the same patients, increased dynamic hip joint stiffness was significantly associated especially with increased ankle plantarflexion moment on the ipsilateral side. In patients with unilateral arthroplasty, decreased hip power was significantly related to increased ankle plantarflexor power, only on the non-operated side.
INTERPRETATION
We found that dynamic hip joint stiffness was an important factor in assessing relationships between hip impairments and dynamics in other joints, especially in patients with bilateral total hip arthroplasty. The effects of altering hip joint stiffness on gait biomechanics need to be explored.
Topics: Aged; Ankle; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip; Biomechanical Phenomena; Demography; Female; Gait; Hip; Hip Joint; Humans; Kinetics; Knee; Middle Aged; Walking
PubMed: 21392872
DOI: 10.1016/j.clinbiomech.2011.01.014 -
Journal of Neuroengineering and... Aug 2012Movement disorders after stroke are still captured by clinical gaze and translated to ordinal scores of low resolution. There is a clear need for objective... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
BACKGROUND
Movement disorders after stroke are still captured by clinical gaze and translated to ordinal scores of low resolution. There is a clear need for objective quantification, with outcome measures related to pathophysiological background. Neural and non-neural contributors to joint behavior should be separated using different measurement conditions (tasks) and standardized input signals (force, position and velocity).
METHODS
We reviewed recent literature for the application of biomechanical and/or elektromyographical (EMG) outcome measures under various measurement conditions in clinical research.
RESULTS
Since 2005, 36 articles described the use of biomechanical and/or EMG outcome measures to quantify post-stroke movement disorder. Nineteen of the articles strived to separate neural and non-neural components. Only 6 of the articles measured biomechanical and EMG outcome measures simultaneously, while applying active and passive tasks and multiple velocities.
CONCLUSION
The distinction between neural and non-neural components to separately assess paresis, stiffness and muscle overactivity is not commonplace yet, while a large gap is to be bridged to attain reproducible and comparable results. Pathophysiologically clear concepts, substantiated with a comprehensive and concise measuring protocol will help professionals to identify and treat limiting factors in movement capabilities of post-stroke patients.
Topics: Adult; Biomechanical Phenomena; Electromyography; Female; Fixation, Ocular; Humans; Joints; Male; Movement Disorders; Muscle Tonus; Muscle, Skeletal; Paresis; Range of Motion, Articular; Stroke; Treatment Outcome; Viscosity
PubMed: 22925463
DOI: 10.1186/1743-0003-9-61 -
Journal of Biomechanics Aug 2023To maximize effects of dorsal leaf ankle foot orthoses (AFOs) on gait in people with bilateral plantarflexor weakness, the AFO properties should be matched to the...
To maximize effects of dorsal leaf ankle foot orthoses (AFOs) on gait in people with bilateral plantarflexor weakness, the AFO properties should be matched to the individual. However, how AFO properties interact regarding their effect on gait function is unknown. We studied the interaction of AFO bending stiffness with neutral angle and footplate stiffness on the effect of bending stiffness on walking energy cost, gait kinematics and kinetics in people with plantarflexor weakness by employing predictive simulations. Our simulation framework consisted of a planar 11 degrees of freedom model, containing 11 muscles activated by a reflex-based neuromuscular controller. The controller was optimized by a comprehensive cost function, predominantly minimizing walking energy cost. The AFO bending and footplate stiffness were modelled as torsional springs around the ankle and metatarsal joint. The neutral angle of the AFO was defined as the angle in the sagittal plane at which the moment of the ankle torsional spring was zero. Simulations without AFO and with AFO for 9 bending stiffnesses (0-14 Nm/degree), 3 neutral angles (0-3-6 degrees dorsiflexion) and 3 footplate stiffnesses (0-0.5-2.0 Nm/degree) were performed. When changing neutral angle towards dorsiflexion, a higher AFO bending stiffness minimized energy cost of walking and normalized joint kinematics and kinetics. Footplate stiffness mainly affected MTP joint kinematics and kinetics, while no systematic and only marginal effects on energy cost were found. In conclusion, the interaction of the AFO bending stiffness and neutral angle in bilateral plantarflexor weakness, suggests that these should both be considered together when matching AFO properties to the individual patient.
Topics: Humans; Foot Orthoses; Gait; Ankle; Walking; Ankle Joint; Biomechanical Phenomena
PubMed: 37480732
DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2023.111730 -
Journal of Biomechanical Engineering Jan 2022The mechanical properties of an ankle-foot orthosis (AFO) can impact how a user's movement is either restricted or augmented by the device. However, standardized methods...
The mechanical properties of an ankle-foot orthosis (AFO) can impact how a user's movement is either restricted or augmented by the device. However, standardized methods for assessing stiffness properties of AFOs are lacking, posing a challenge for comparing between devices and across vendors. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to quantify the rotational stiffness of thirteen commercial, nonarticulated, carbon composite ankle-foot orthoses. A custom, instrumented test fixture, for evaluating mechanical properties in rotating exoskeletons (EMPIRE), deflected an AFO through 20 deg of plantar/dorsiflexion motion about a specified, but adjustable, ankle axis. Sagittal, frontal, and transverse plane rotational stiffness were calculated, and reliability was assessed between cycles, sessions, and testers. The EMPIRE demonstrated good-to-excellent reliability between testers, sessions, and cycles (intraclass correlation coefficients all ≥0.95 for sagittal plane stiffness measures). Sagittal plane AFO stiffness ranged from 0.58 N·m/deg to 3.66 N·m/deg. AFOs with a lateral strut demonstrated frontal plane stiffnesses up to 0.71 N·m/deg of eversion while those with a medial strut demonstrated frontal plane stiffnesses up to 0.53 N·m/deg of inversion. Transverse plane stiffnesses were less than 0.30 N·m/deg of internal or external rotation. These results directly compare AFOs of different models and from different manufacturers using consistent methodology and are intended as a resource for clinicians in identifying a device with stiffness properties for individual patients.
Topics: Ankle; Ankle Joint; Biomechanical Phenomena; Carbon; Foot Orthoses; Gait; Humans; Reproducibility of Results
PubMed: 34286822
DOI: 10.1115/1.4051845 -
Cartilage Apr 2021To investigate the diffusion trajectory of a cationic contrast medium (CA4+) into equine articular cartilage, and to assess normal and degenerative equine articular...
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the diffusion trajectory of a cationic contrast medium (CA4+) into equine articular cartilage, and to assess normal and degenerative equine articular cartilage using cationic contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT).
DESIGN
In the first experiment (Exp1), equine osteochondral specimens were serially imaged with cationic CECT to establish the diffusion time constant and time to reach equilibrium in healthy articular cartilage. In a separate experiment (Exp2), articular cartilage defects were created on the femoral trochlea (defect joint) in a juvenile horse, while the opposite joint was a sham-operated control. After 7 weeks, osteochondral biopsies were collected throughout the articular surfaces of both joints. Biopsies were analyzed for cationic CECT attenuation, glycosaminoglycan (GAG) content, mechanical stiffness (E), and histology. Imaging, biochemical and mechanical data were compared between defect and control joints.
RESULTS
Exp1: The mean diffusion time constant was longer for medial condyle cartilage (3.05 ± 0.1 hours) than lateral condyle cartilage (1.54 ± 0.3 hours, = 0.04). Exp2: Cationic CECT attenuation was lower in the defect joint than the control joint ( = 0.005) and also varied by anatomic location ( = 0.045). Mean cationic CECT attenuation from the lateral trochlear ridge was lower in the defect joint than in the control joint (2223 ± 329 HU and 2667 ± 540 HU, respectively; = 0.02). Cationic CECT attenuation was strongly correlated with both GAG (ρ = 0.79, < 0.0001) and E (ρ = 0.61, < 0.0001).
CONCLUSIONS
The equilibration time of CA4+ into equine articular cartilage is affected by tissue volume. Quantitative cationic CECT imaging reflects the biochemical, biomechanical and histological state of normal and degenerative equine articular cartilage.
Topics: Animals; Biomechanical Phenomena; Cartilage, Articular; Contrast Media; Disease Models, Animal; Glycosaminoglycans; Horses; Osteoarthritis; Range of Motion, Articular; Tomography, X-Ray Computed
PubMed: 33722083
DOI: 10.1177/1947603518812562