Effect of chronic knee osteoarthritis on flexion-relaxation phenomenon of the erector spinae in elderly females

Abstract

[Purpose] This study investigated the flexion-relaxation phenomenon of the erector spinae in elderly women with chronic knee osteoarthritis and determined whether the flexion-relaxation phenomenon can be used as a pain evaluation tool in such cases. [Subjects and Methods] Seventeen elderly females with chronic knee osteoarthritis and 13 healthy young females voluntarily participated in this study. They performed three postural positions in 15 s: trunk flexion, complete trunk flexion, and trunk extension, each for 5 s. While these positions were held, muscle activation of the thoracic and lumbar erector spinae were measured using surface electromyography. The flexion-relaxation rate was determined by dividing the values for trunk extension by those of complete trunk flexion and by dividing the values for trunk flexion by those of complete trunk flexion. [Results] According to our results, the flexion-relaxation phenomenon was different between healthy young and elderly females with chronic knee osteoarthritis. Specifically, there was a difference in the left thoracic erector spinae muscle, but not in the left and right lumbar erector spinae or right thoracic spinae muscle. [Conclusion] Our study demonstrated that the erector spinae muscle flexion-relaxation phenomenon can be used as a pain evaluation tool in elderly females with chronic knee osteoarthritis.

Muscle and Osteoarthritis Joint Status: Current Research Highlights and Their Implications

“…While harnessing the entire data base to systematize more definitive trends than is evident in the present snapshot of current research may be valuable, it is the author's belief that more efforts towards developing carefully construed biomechanical, radiological, molecular, biochemical, and neuromuscular oriented prospective studies of adequate duration are indicated to advance this line of inquiry, despite the increasing volume of reports. To verify or dispute hypothetical evidence based associations depicted in Figure 1 and expand upon trends depicted in Table 2, more prospective studies focusing on muscle co-activation effects [17], the role of eccentric as well as concentric forces on the emergence and progression of osteoarthritic joint disease [40], as well as the role of distant muscles [42,69], and the tendon-aponeurosis complex [46] are indicated [46,59]. In addition, delineating the role of muscle fat infiltration [33,81], muscle inflammation [25], and vitamin D [30] and its impact on muscle structure and function in the context of osteoarthritis may…”

“…Not only are different disease stages studied, with different tools, and with dissimilar premises and aims, but the challenges in synthesizing data from morphological studies, [39,46], alongside electromyographic studies [eg. 19,53,59], muscle volume studies [36], plus studies examining the role of elevated skeletal muscle FoxO1 protein and reduced IL-15 protein expression and strength in people predominantly with knee osteoarthritis [26], remains immense.…”

“…Figure 1: Hypothetic temporal relationship between muscle and articular cartilage destruction. [Adapted from15,19,39,44,45,51,59,66,[82][83][84][85]86].…”