Correlação entre força muscular e os parâmetros espaço-temporais da marcha durante a velocidade confortável em mulheres com osteoartrite moderada de joelho

Abstract

Knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is a degenerative joint disease, highly prevalent in elderly individuals, especially in the female population. It has been considered that KOA is related to muscle strength deficits and alteration of the gait parameters. However, these variables have not yet been correlated in this population. The aim of this study was to evaluate the strength of the main muscles recruited during gait (quadriceps, ankle inverters and hip abductors), and the spatio-temporal gait parameters (velocity, cadence, step length, stride length, step time and stride time) and verify the existence or not of correlation between them. The sample consisted of 21 women with moderate KOA, aged over 50 years. The analysis of muscle strength was obtained through a load cell, and gait analysis through a 30-second walk on a treadmill at a speed considered comfortable by the patient. The spatiotemporal parameters were captured by ten infra-red cameras, which tracked reflexive markers fixed at specific anatomical points. The results showed a moderate positive correlation between the cadence variables with femoral quadriceps muscle strength and a moderate negative correlation between time of the step and time of the step with femoral quadriceps strength. There was no correlation between the muscle strength of ankle inverters and hip abductor and the spatio-temporal parameters of velocity, step length and stride length.