Study examines factors affecting knee confidence trajectories in patients with knee OA
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Young age, male sex, high BMI, depression, advanced radiographic disease, weak knee extensors, history of injury or surgery, and hip or ankle pain are baseline predictors for persistently poor knee confidence, according to results.
In the course of 8 years, researchers from Northwestern University analyzed a prospective cohort of 4,515 patients from the Osteoarthritis Initiative who had or were at risk for knee osteoarthritis (OA).
Using the KOOS instrument, researchers identified four knee confidence trajectories among the cohort: persistently good (65.6% of patients), declining (9.1% of patients), poor but improving (13.9% of patients) and persistently poor (11.4% of patients).
Researchers found that unlike knee pain, which remained consistent, knee confidence was a dynamic and independent feature in knee complaints.
According to the study, young age, male sex, high BMI, depression, advanced radiographic disease, weak knee extensors, history of injury or surgery and hip or ankle pain were all baseline predictors for persistently poor knee confidence. The researchers noted that addressing the modifiable factors, such as BMI, knee strength and depression, may improve long-term knee confidence trajectory.
“Complaints of lacking confidence in one’s knee are common and may capture both biological and psychological consequences of knee OA and forecasts subsequent function decline,” the researchers wrote in the study. “These findings suggest the dynamic nature of self-reported knee confidence and addressing modifiable factors may improve its long-term course.”
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