Bone marrow lesions are related to dynamic knee loading in medial knee osteoarthritis.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the relationship between mechanical loading, as indicated by the external knee adduction moment (KAM) during walking, and BML on MRI in people with medial knee osteoarthritis.


METHODS
Measures were taken in 91 individuals with medial knee osteoarthritis. Logistic regression analyses were performed with the presence/absence of medial tibial or medial femoral BML as the outcome and either peak KAM or KAM impulse as the independent variable. Analyses were also adjusted for age, gender, body mass index, alignment and walking speed.


RESULTS
In adjusted analyses, peak KAM was significantly related to medial tibial (OR 2.3; 95%CI 1.07 to 4.7), but not medial femoral (OR 1.85; 95%CI 0.93 to 3.7) BML. KAM impulse was significantly related to both medial tibial (OR 9.4; 95%CI 1.53 to 57.2) and medial femoral (OR 14.4; 95%CI 2.3 to 89.8) BML.


CONCLUSIONS
The findings support the hypothesis that greater mechanical loading of the medial compartment plays a role in the pathogenesis of BML in medial tibiofemoral osteoarthritis.
Bennell
Kim L
KL
Centre for Health, Exercise and Sports Medicine, School of Physiotherapy, University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. k.bennell@unimelb.edu.au
Creaby
Mark W
MW
Wrigley
Tim V
TV
Bowles
Kelly-Ann
KA
Hinman
Rana S
RS
Cicuttini
Flavia
F
Hunter
David J
DJ
D000368:Aged; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D005684:Gait; D006801:Humans; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020370:Osteoarthritis, Knee / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D016474:Weight-Bearing / Q000502:physiology