Impact of antagonistic muscle co-contraction on in vivo knee contact forces
Impact of antagonistic muscle co-contraction on in vivo knee contact forces
Background
The onset and progression of osteoarthritis, but also the wear and loosening of the components of an artificial joint, are commonly associated with mechanical overloading of the structures. Knowledge of the mechanical forces acting at the joints, together with an understanding of the key factors that can alter them, are critical to develop effective treatments for restoring joint function. While static anatomy is usually the clinical focus, less is known about the impact of dynamic factors, such as individual muscle recruitment, on joint contact forces.
Methods
In this study, instrumented knee implants provided accurate in vivo tibio-femoral contact forces in a unique cohort of 9 patients, which were used as input for subject specific musculoskeletal models, to quantify the individual muscle forces during walking and stair negotiation.
Results
Even between patients with a very similar self-selected gait speed, the total tibio-femoral peak forces varied 1.7-fold, but had only weak correlation with static alignment (varus/valgus). In some patients, muscle co-contraction of quadriceps and gastrocnemii during walking added up to 1 bodyweight (~ 50%) to the peak tibio-femoral contact force during late stance. The greatest impact of co-contraction was observed in the late stance phase of stair ascent, with an increase of the peak tibio-femoral contact force by up to 1.7 bodyweight (66%).
Conclusions
Treatment of diseased and failed joints should therefore not only be restricted to anatomical reconstruction of static limb axes alignment. The dynamic activation of muscles, as a key modifier of lower limb biomechanics, should also be taken into account and thus also represents a promising target for restoring function, patient mobility, and preventing future joint failure.
Trial registration
German Clinical Trials Register: ID: DRKS00000606, date: 05.11.2010.
Muscle co-contraction; Musculoskeletal loading conditions; in vivo joint forces; Knee osteoarthritis
1-10
Heller, Markus
3da19d2a-f34d-4ff1-8a34-9b5a7e695829
8 November 2018
Heller, Markus
3da19d2a-f34d-4ff1-8a34-9b5a7e695829
Heller, Markus
(2018)
Impact of antagonistic muscle co-contraction on in vivo knee contact forces.
Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation, 15 (101), .
(doi:10.1186/s12984-018-0434-3).
Abstract
Background
The onset and progression of osteoarthritis, but also the wear and loosening of the components of an artificial joint, are commonly associated with mechanical overloading of the structures. Knowledge of the mechanical forces acting at the joints, together with an understanding of the key factors that can alter them, are critical to develop effective treatments for restoring joint function. While static anatomy is usually the clinical focus, less is known about the impact of dynamic factors, such as individual muscle recruitment, on joint contact forces.
Methods
In this study, instrumented knee implants provided accurate in vivo tibio-femoral contact forces in a unique cohort of 9 patients, which were used as input for subject specific musculoskeletal models, to quantify the individual muscle forces during walking and stair negotiation.
Results
Even between patients with a very similar self-selected gait speed, the total tibio-femoral peak forces varied 1.7-fold, but had only weak correlation with static alignment (varus/valgus). In some patients, muscle co-contraction of quadriceps and gastrocnemii during walking added up to 1 bodyweight (~ 50%) to the peak tibio-femoral contact force during late stance. The greatest impact of co-contraction was observed in the late stance phase of stair ascent, with an increase of the peak tibio-femoral contact force by up to 1.7 bodyweight (66%).
Conclusions
Treatment of diseased and failed joints should therefore not only be restricted to anatomical reconstruction of static limb axes alignment. The dynamic activation of muscles, as a key modifier of lower limb biomechanics, should also be taken into account and thus also represents a promising target for restoring function, patient mobility, and preventing future joint failure.
Trial registration
German Clinical Trials Register: ID: DRKS00000606, date: 05.11.2010.
Text
s12984-018-0434-3
- Version of Record
More information
Accepted/In Press date: 12 October 2018
e-pub ahead of print date: 8 November 2018
Published date: 8 November 2018
Keywords:
Muscle co-contraction; Musculoskeletal loading conditions; in vivo joint forces; Knee osteoarthritis
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 426083
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/426083
ISSN: 1743-0003
PURE UUID: 4a8d7e68-eeb0-4eca-8418-977ba9c22be3
Catalogue record
Date deposited: 13 Nov 2018 17:30
Last modified: 16 Mar 2024 04:11
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