Relationship between knee kinetics during jumping tasks and knee articular cartilage MRI T1rho and T2 relaxation times

Abstract

Background Articular cartilage of young healthy individuals is dynamic and responsive to loading behaviors. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship of cartilage T1ρ and T2 relaxation times with loading kinetics during jumping tasks in healthy young individuals. Methods Fourteen healthy subjects underwent: 1) motion analysis while performing a unilateral hopping task and bilateral drop jumping task; and 2) quantitative imaging using a 3 Tesla MRI for T1ρ and T2 relaxation time analysis. Three dimensional net joint moments and angular impulse was calculated using standard inverse dynamics equations. Average T1ρ and T2 relaxation times and medial-lateral ratios for each were calculated. Multiple regression was used to identify predictors of cartilage relaxation times. Findings Average knee flexion moment during hopping was observed to best predict overall T1ρ (R2=.185) and T2 (R2=.154) values. Peak knee adduction moment during a drop jump was the best predictor of the T1ρ medial-lateral ratio (R2=.220). The T2 medial-lateral ratio was best predicted by average internal rotation moment during the drop jump (R2=.174). Interpretation These data suggest that loads across the knee may affect the biochemistry of the cartilage. In young healthy individuals, higher flexion moments were associated with decreased T1ρ and T2 values, suggesting a potentially beneficial effect. The medial-to-lateral ratio of T1ρ and T2 times appears to be related to the frontal and transverse plane joint mechanics. These data offer promising findings of potentially modifiable parameters associated with cartilage composition.

Frontal plane knee mechanics and medial cartilage MR relaxation times in individuals with ACL reconstruction: A pilot study

“…Individuals with knee OA who have greater frontal plane loading have a higher rate of cartilage loss 29 , increased incidence of medial knee cartilage lesions 33 , and medial meniscus extrusion 30 . Earlier work has also shown that KAM during drop-landing is related to medio-lateral T 1ρ relaxation times ratio in young healthy adults 27 . Hence, higher frontal plane loading and medial cartilage overload may lead to changes in medial knee cartilage composition as assessed using MR relaxation time parameters.…”

“…Cartilage composition as assessed using MR relaxation times could be related to the loading experience by the cartilage during daily activities. A recent study reported significant associations between sagittal, frontal, and transverse plane kinetics during hopping and drop-landing tasks, and T 1ρ and T 2 relaxation times 27 . The results from this pilot study suggest that in individuals with ACL-R, higher frontal plane loading may be related to early cartilage degeneration, and MR relaxation times may be related to differences in movement patterns.…”

“…Fourteen millimeter spherical retro-reflective markers were placed on bony landmarks of bilateral lower extremities for identification of joint centers and rigid clusters placed on the lateral surface of the subject's thighs, legs and heel shoe counters were used to track segment motions 27 . Each subject performed a walking task and a drop jump task.…”

Are There Sex Differences in Knee Cartilage Composition and Walking Mechanics in Healthy and Osteoarthritis Populations?

“…Subjects walked at their self-selected speed while three-dimensional kinematic data were collected at 250 Hz using a passive 10-camera system (VICON, Oxford Metrics, UK), and kinetic data were collected at 1000 Hz from two embedded force platforms (AMTI, Watertown, MA, USA). Nine and a half millimeters spherical retroreflective markers were placed on bony landmarks of bilateral lower extremities for identification of joint centers and rigid clusters placed bilaterally on the lateral surface of the subject's thighs, legs, and heel shoe counters were used to track segment motions [48]. A trial was considered acceptable when there was clean foot strike on any of the force platforms and the speed was within ± 5% of the first good trial.…”

Quadriceps and Hamstrings Morphology Is Related to Walking Mechanics and Knee Cartilage MRI Relaxation Times in Young Adults

“…Spherical retroreflective markers (14 mm) were placed on bony landmarks of bilateral lower extremities for identification of joint centers, and rigid clusters were placed bilaterally on the lateral surface of the subject's thighs, legs, and heel shoe counters to track segment motions. 52 A trial was considered acceptable when there was a clean foot strike on any of the force platforms and the speed was within 5% of the first good trial. Five good trials were collected from both lower extremities.…”