Journal article
Is Pain in One Knee Associated with Isometric Muscle Strength in the Contralateral Limb?: Data From the Osteoarthritis Initiative
American journal of physical medicine & rehabilitation, Vol.94(10), pp.792-803
10/2015
DOI: 10.1097/PHM.0000000000000262
PMCID: PMC4360957
PMID: 25768069
Abstract
Knee pain and muscle weakness confer risk for knee osteoarthritis incidence and progression. The purpose of this study was to determine whether unilateral knee pain influences contralateral thigh muscle strength.
Of 4796 Osteoarthritis Initiative participants, 224 (mean ± SD age, 63.9 ± 8.9 yrs) cases could be matched to a control. Cases were defined as having unilateral knee pain (numerical rating scale, ≥ 4/10; ≥infrequent pain) and one pain-free knee (numerical rating scale, 0-1; ≤infrequent pain; Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index, ≤ 1). Controls were defined as having bilaterally pain-free knees (numerical rating scale, 0-1; ≤infrequent pain; Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index, ≤ 1). Maximal isometric muscle strength (N) was compared between limbs in participants with unilateral pain (cases) as well as between pain-free limbs of cases and controls.
Knee extensor/flexor strength in pain-free limbs of the cases was lower than that in bilaterally pain-free controls (-5.5%/-8.4%; P = 0.043/P = 0.022). Within the cases, maximum extensor/flexor strength was significantly lower in the painful limb than in the pain-free limb (-6.3%/4.1%; P < 0.0001/P = 0.015).
These results suggest that strength in limbs without knee pain is associated with the pain status of the contralateral knee. The strength difference between unilateral pain-free cases and matched bilateral pain-free controls was similar to that between limbs in persons with unilateral knee pain. Lower strength caused by contralateral knee pain might be centrally mediated.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Is Pain in One Knee Associated with Isometric Muscle Strength in the Contralateral Limb?: Data From the Osteoarthritis Initiative
- Creators
- Eva Steidle-Kloc - Paracelsus Medical UniversityWolfgang Wirth - Specific TechnologiesNatalie A Glass - University of IowaAnja Ruhdorfer - Specific TechnologiesSebastian Cotofana - Specific TechnologiesFelix Eckstein - Paracelsus Medical UniversityNeil A Segal - University of Iowa
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- American journal of physical medicine & rehabilitation, Vol.94(10), pp.792-803
- DOI
- 10.1097/PHM.0000000000000262
- PMID
- 25768069
- PMCID
- PMC4360957
- ISSN
- 0894-9115
- eISSN
- 1537-7385
- Grant note
- N01 AR022258 / NIAMS NIH HHS N01 AR022262 / NIAMS NIH HHS N01 AR022261 / NIAMS NIH HHS N01AR22260 / NIAMS NIH HHS N01 AR022259 / NIAMS NIH HHS
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 10/2015
- Academic Unit
- Epidemiology; Orthopedics and Rehabilitation
- Record Identifier
- 9984548858002771
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