Investigation of hip abductor activation in subjects with clinical unilateral hip osteoarthritis.
OBJECTIVE
(a) To compare the magnitude of gluteus medius and tensor fascia lata activation between a group of subjects with clinical unilateral hip osteoarthritis and a group of healthy older adults. (b) To compare the magnitude of activation of the gluteus medius and tensor fascia lata between sides in a group of subjects with clinical unilateral hip osteoarthritis and a group of healthy older adults.


METHODS
19 subjects with clinical unilateral hip osteoarthritis and 19 healthy controls were investigated. The subjects performed a stepping task during which recordings were obtained using surface electromyograms from the hip abductors, and kinetic data were obtained from a dual force platform.


RESULTS
Subjects with clinical hip osteoarthritis had higher gluteus medius activation than the healthy older adults (p=0.037). In addition, there were no differences in the magnitude of gluteus medius activation between the sides (p=0.733). There was no difference in the force platform data between the groups (p=0.078).


CONCLUSIONS
The increased magnitude of gluteus medius activation in the group with hip osteoarthritis is evidence of a muscular dysfunction associated with hip disease. This has implications for the progressive nature of the disease and for its conservative management.
Sims
K J
KJ
Department of Physiotherapy, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Australia. kevsims@hotmail.com
Richardson
C A
CA
Brauer
S G
SG
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002081:Buttocks / Q000502:physiology; D004576:Electromyography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000502:physiology*; D015207:Osteoarthritis, Hip / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011312:Pressure