Compensatory strategies for muscle weakness during stair ascent in subjects with total knee arthroplasty.

Subjects with total knee arthroplasty (TKA) exhibit decreased quadriceps and hamstring strength. This may bring about greater relative effort or compensatory strategies to reduce knee joint moments in daily activities. To study gait and map out the resource capacity, knee muscle strength was assessed by maximal voluntary concentric contractions, and whole body kinematics and root mean square (RMS) electromyography (EMG) of vastus lateralis and semitendinosus were recorded during stair ascent in 23 unilateral TKA-subjects ~19 months post-operation, and in 23 healthy controls. Muscle strength and gait velocity were lower in the TKA group, but no significant group differences were found in RMS EMG or forward trunk lean. The results suggest that reduced walking velocity sufficiently compensated for reduced knee muscle strength.

Peak knee flexion angles during stair descent in TKA patients.

Reduced peak knee flexion during stair descent (PKSD) is demonstrated in subjects with total knee arthroplasty (TKA), but the underlying factors are not well studied. 3D gait patterns during stair descent, peak passive knee flexion (PPKF), quadriceps strength, pain, proprioception, demographics, and anthropometrics were assessed in 23 unilateral TKA-subjects ~19 months post-operatively, and in 23 controls. PKSD, PPKF and quadriceps strength were reduced in the TKA-side, but also in the contralateral side. A multiple regression analysis identified PPKF as the only predictor (57%) to explain the relationship with PKSD. PPKF was, however sufficient for normal PKSD. Deficits in quadriceps strength in TKA-group suggest that strength is also contributing to smaller PKSD. Increased hip adduction at PKSD may indicate both compensatory strategy and reduced hip strength.