The Experimental Research On The Characteristics Of Knee Muscle Strength, Kinesthesia, And Body Composition In Older Women With Knee Osteoarthritis

Objective:By comparing the old women with knee osteoarthritis(KOA) and the healthy people(CON) of the same age and gender, explore the characteristics of knee muscle strength, kinesthesia and body composition(fat mass and muscle mass) of old women with knee osteoarthritis. And explore which body composition(fat mass or musclemass) has a stronger effect on knee muscle strength?Methods:47 elderly women were recruited from Yangpu district which including25 subjects of KOA and 22 subjects of CON. All subjects’ knee muscle strength were measured by isokinetic dynamometry, kinesthesia were tested by knee kinesthesia tester and body composition(fat mass and muscle mass) were measured by Dual-energy X-ray bone density. Discuss the correlation between body composition(fat mass and muscle mass) and knee strength.Results:Knee muscle strength of flexion and extensionExtension absolute peak torque(aPT),flexion and extension relative peak torque(rPT) of KOAgroup were smaller than CONgroup’s(p<0.05), but ratio of flexion rPT and extension rPT were bigger than CON group’s(p<0.05).Knee kinesthesiaThere is no significant difference between KOA and CON of knee kinesthesia.Body CompositionTotal muscle mass(%)(TMM%) of KOA was smaller than CON(p<0.01),especially the lower muscle mass(%)(LMM%)(p<0.01). However, there was no significant difference between total fat mass(%)(TFM%) and lower fatmass(%)(LFM%)in the two groups.The correlative between body mass and knee muscle strengthBoth KOA and CON groups, TFM% has negative correlation with flexion and extension rPT(p<0.05). In KOA group, TMM% has positive correlation with flexion r PT(p<0.05). In CON group, TMM% has positive correlation with flexion rPT and extension r PT(p<0.05).Conclusion:1) Knee extensor, flexor strength and imbalance of them are related to KOA.Therefore, during KOA rehabilitation therapies, muscle training for knee extensors,flexors and the stability of knee need to be valued.2) The reduce of knee kinesthesia isn’t obviousinthe old women with knee osteoarthritis,therefore, maybeknee osteoarthritis has less effect on the central peripheral nerve system.3)Comparing the fat mass, the reduce of muscle mass has closer relationship with the reduce of knee muscle strength.Therefore, during KOA rehabilitation therapies, we should pay more attention to the promotion of muscle mass, not only the fat mass.