| Obesity is a growing epidemic problem that is strongly associated with Knee Osteoarthritis (OA) onset and disease progression. The increased body mass and consequent high repetitive loading during daily activity exacerbate deterioration of the weight-bearing joint structures leading to pain that inhibits knee function. Persons modify their movement strategies in response to chronic pain but the compensatory adaptations have been shown to hasten functional decline. Given the increasing obesity rates, this study examined the influence of increased body mass during stair ambulation of young overweight adults. The research purpose was to create a stair movement profile of this population to identify whether they exhibit similar pathomechanics that may predispose them to the same etiologies that mediate Knee OA onset and disease progression. |
