Kinematic alterations of the lower limbs and pelvis during an ascending stairs task are associated with the degree of knee osteoarthritis severity.
BACKGROUND
Individuals with knee osteoarthritis (OA) generally demonstrate great difficulty in ascending stairs. The strategies and compensations used by these individuals in stair activities have not been fully established. The purpose of this study was to investigate the joint kinematics of the pelvis, hip, knee and ankle throughout the gait cycle, in the sagittal and frontal planes, in individuals with mild and moderate knee OA, during an ascending stairs task.


METHODS
Thirty-one individuals with knee OA and 19 controls were subjected to clinical and radiographic analysis, divided into three groups: control, mild knee OA, and moderate knee OA. Participants answered a self-reported questionnaire, carried out performance-based tests, and their kinematic data were recorded during an ascending stairs task using an eight-camera Qualisys 3D-Motion analysis system.


RESULTS
The individuals with moderate degrees of knee OA demonstrated kinematic alterations in the pelvis, hip, knee, and ankle in the sagittal plane. The individuals with mild degrees of knee OA demonstrated kinematic alterations of the hip in the frontal plane, and kinematic alterations of the ankle in the sagittal plane.


CONCLUSIONS
The ascending stairs task allowed verification of meaningful information regarding gait strategies used by individuals with mild and moderate knee OA. The strategies of these two groups of individuals are different for this task, although more pronounced in individuals with moderate knee OA. The findings should be taken into account in the development of rehabilitation programs.
Department of Physical Therapy, Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar), Rodovia Washington Luis, km 235, São Carlos, SP 13565-905, Brazil. Electronic address: gauhg.fisio@gmail.com.
Glaucia Helena
GH
Gonçalves
Department of Physical Therapy, Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar), Rodovia Washington Luis, km 235, São Carlos, SP 13565-905, Brazil. Electronic address: lfselistre@yahoo.com.br.
Luiz Fernando Approbato
LFA
Selistre
Department of Physical Therapy, Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar), Rodovia Washington Luis, km 235, São Carlos, SP 13565-905, Brazil. Electronic address: ma.petrella@gmail.com.
Marina
M
Petrella
Department of Physical Therapy, Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar), Rodovia Washington Luis, km 235, São Carlos, SP 13565-905, Brazil. Electronic address: stela@ufscar.br.
Stela Márcia
SM
Mattiello
D000843:Ankle Joint / Q000503:physiopathology; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D005684:Gait / Q000502:physiology; D006621:Hip Joint / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000503:physiopathology*; D035002:Lower Extremity / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009068:Movement / Q000502:physiology; D020370:Osteoarthritis, Knee / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010384:Pelvic Bones / Q000503:physiopathology; D010388:Pelvis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D000072799:Stair Climbing / Q000502:physiology*; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis
Biomechanics; Gait; Lower extremity; Severity of osteoarthritis; Stair climbing