Differential muscle strength decline in osteoarthritis of the knee. A developing hypothesis.
Arthritis Care Res
; 5(1): 24-8, 1992 Mar.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-1581368
ABSTRACT
The ratio of quadriceps to hamstrings muscle strength (Q/H ratio) is important for the stability of the knee and for protection from excessive stress. The purpose of this study was to explore whether the Q/H ratio is altered in patients with osteoarthritis (OA). Subjects were 43 patients with physician-diagnosed OA of the knee (mean age, 65.61 years; SD, 12.74). Isometric knee flexor and extensor strength was measured with a hand-held dynamometer. Both muscle groups were weak, with relatively greater weakness in the quadriceps muscles. The mean Q/H ratio of 1.43 (SD, 0.39) was below ratios reported for young healthy adults (2.0). The low Q/H ratio might be caused by the inability to correct the measurement for gravity, but a liberal estimate of gravity correction raised the ratio only to 1.71 (SD, 0.47). The low Q/H ratio was probably not caused by physiologic changes due to aging, because the correlation between the ratio and age was low (-0.04). Since the correlation of the Q/H ratio with the usual level of pain (measured by a visual analogue scale) was negative (-0.26), the low ratio might be explained by reflex inhibition due to pain associated with disease.
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Bases de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Osteoartritis
/
Muslo
/
Articulación de la Rodilla
/
Tono Muscular
Límite:
Adult
/
Aged
/
Aged80
/
Humans
/
Middle aged
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Arthritis Care Res
Asunto de la revista:
ENFERMAGEM
Año:
1992
Tipo del documento:
Article