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Impaired quad speed linked to reduced function in patients with knee osteoarthritis
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Impairment of quadricep strength and speed was associated with reduced physical function in people with knee osteoarthritis or who were at risk for the disease, according to a press release and data presented at the Association of Academic Physiatrists Annual Meeting in Las Vegas.
“The results of this study indicated that interventions to maintain physical function in people with knee [osteoarthritis] should focus both on quadriceps strength and the [speed force production] of the muscle,” Neil Segal, MD, director of clinical research and medical director of musculoskeletal rehabilitation in the department of rehabilitation medicine at the University of Kansas Medical Center, said in the release. “Compared to people who can push faster, we found people with slower muscle responses are more likely to suffer from worsening physical function in the future.”
Segal and colleagues followed 3,996 Osteoarthritis Initiative participants for 12 months, 3,820 for 24 months and 3,623 for 36 months. Researchers measured speed of force production (SFP) — defined as how fast the quadricep muscle can generate force — with a leg extension chair cable; they recorded timed 20-m and 400-m walks as well as the speed participants could stand from a seated position, and they used participant self-assessment of functioning with WOMAC scales. They defined reduced physical function as an absolute decrease in 20-m walk speed of 0.14 m per second; an increased time in the 400-m walk of at least 20 seconds; an increased time to stand from a chair of 4.18 seconds; and a nine-point increase in worsening on the WOMAC scale. They assessed the association between SFP and a decline in physical function, after adjusting for baseline age, sex, BMI and knee pain.
At 36 months, researchers found participants in the middle SFP tertile (OR = 0.758) and highest tertile (OR = 0.689) had reduced risk for worse function at 36 months vs. those in the lowest tertile. At 24 months, researchers looked at a subcohort of women and found those with the highest SFP had reduced risk for worse 20-m walk (OR = 0.652) and those with medium SFP had lower risk for worse WOMAC physical function (OR = 0.62) vs. those in the lowest tertile.
“We know that maintaining quadriceps strength is important for protection against painful knee [osteoarthritis],” Segal said. “Now, we know the ability to move the muscle quickly is important for keeping people able to walk, stand from a chair and do other functional activities.” – by Will Offit
References:
Hu B, et al. Lower quadriceps speed of force production is associated with worsening physical functioning in adults with or at risk for knee osteoarthritis: 36-month follow-up data from the Osteoarthritis Initiative. Presented at: Association of Academic Physiatrists Annual Meeting; Feb. 7-11, 2017; Las Vegas.
http://www.newswise.com/articles/view/668840/?sc=mwhr&xy=10007438
Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.