title: Recovery of lower extremity muscle strength and functional performance in middle-aged patients undergoing arthroscopic partial meniscectomy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate lower extremity muscle strength and functional performance before and after arthroscopic partial meniscectomy in middle-aged patients with degenerative meniscal tears. We hypothesized that patients would experience deficiencies in the affected leg at 3 months post-surgery, and that this deficiency would be normalized at 12 months following surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-three patients (46 ± 6.5 years) meniscectomized in 2012 and 2013 were examined for knee extension, knee flexion, and hip abduction maximal isometric muscle strength (iMVC), rate of force development (RFD200), and knee function (single-leg hop for distance and single-leg knee bends in 30 s.) before surgery, 3 and 12 months after surgery.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Functional performance, knee extension iMVC and RFD200were impaired in the affected leg compared to the contralateral leg (p < 0.05) prior to surgery. A significant (Knee extension RFD200, p = 0.033) or borderline significant improvement was observed in the affected leg compared to the contralateral leg from before to 12 months after surgery in most variables (leg × time interaction, n.s.).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Middle-aged patients undergoing surgery for degenerative medial meniscal tears show significant reductions in muscle strength, rapid force production, and functional performance in the leg undergoing surgery compared to the contralateral leg prior to surgery. These deficits in muscle strength and knee function were still present at 3 months post-surgery but were no longer observed at 12 months following surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  III.
authors.affiliation: Department of Sports Science and Clinical Biomechanics, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark. tganderup@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Tina
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ganderup
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery and Traumatology, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark.|Institute of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark.
authors.forename: Carsten
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Jensen
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery and Traumatology, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark.|Institute of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark.
authors.forename: Anders
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Holsgaard-Larsen
authors.affiliation: Department of Sports Science and Clinical Biomechanics, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark.
authors.forename: Jonas B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Thorlund
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001182:Arthroscopy / Q000379:methods; D002357:Cartilage Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008592:Menisci, Tibial / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D008875:Middle Aged; D053580:Muscle Strength; D011859:Radiography; D020127:Recovery of Function; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Functional performance; Knee osteoarthritis; Meniscal tears; Muscle strength