Effect of Lumbar Stabilization on Knee OA

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Knee Osteoarthritis
• Interventions: Other: Lumbar focused exercises; Other: Knee focused exercises

• Registration Number: NCT04458753
• Lead Sponsor: Cairo University

Brief Summary

This study will be conducted to investigate the role of lumbar core strengthening in reducing knee pain and disability, and improving knee proprioception and Quadriceps strength in patients with knee OA.

Detailed Description

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a highly prevalent degenerative joint disease that impacts quality of life and puts a burden on health care costs. Idiopathic knee OA is an age-related disease, with prevalence ranging from 19-28%. Aetiology of OA (whether systemic or mechanical) remains unclear.

Lumbar spine has been reported to be associated with knee joint because of the biomechanical interrelationship. Decreased lumbar lordosis (that may indicate weak back extensors) and range of motion (that may indicate weak core stabilizers) had significant correlations with an increased spinal inclination angle, which was an independent factor related to knee OA (by increasing knee flexion angle). Knee OA may radiate pain to the back that together lead to more limited hip motion causing overloaded knees. Convergence presents between nerve roots supplying mid-lumbar muscles and joints, and that supply femoral nerve and quadriceps. Progression of knee OA is associated with progression of lumbar spine osteoarthritis. Altered trunk kinematics may cause altered tibiofemoral kinematics.

Strengthening of trunk extensors may be very important for knee OA as fatiguing back extensors led to 1) increased quadriceps inhibition (QI) that may lead to poor attenuation of ground reaction forces and excessive forces on the knees, 2) altered standing postural control, 3) a forward-leaned posture that increases the external knee moments, 4) a reduction in trunk proprioception.

Core stabilization exercises combined with knee-focused exercise or combined with hip strengthening resulted in less pain and better function. Interestingly, these studies included only patellofemoral pain and OA patients. This program may benefit knee OA patients as well. Strength, neuromuscular training and lumbopelvic stabilization reduced muscle weakness (of quadriceps and hip abductors), pain, and disability in men with mild knee OA. However, specific role of lumbar core muscles on knee OA, their effect on wider population (including females) and their effect on higher severity knee OA are lacking.

Strengthening of trunk core muscles may help pelvic stability which found to be beneficial in improving the trunk and lower extremity movement control, hip muscles strength, gait speed and daily activities. However, this done in stroke patients, it is hypothesized to benefit knee OA patients as well. Assessment and treatment of the trunk musculature should be considered in the rehabilitation of patients who demonstrate abnormal lower-extremity kinematics as found in knee OA.

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2020-06-10
• Study First Submitted: 2020-07-01
• Study First Submitted QC: 2020-07-01
• Study First Posted: 2020-07-07
• Primary Completion: 2021-10-30
• Study Completion: 2021-11-30
• Status Verified: 2022-03
• Last Update Submitted: 2022-03-07
• Last Update Posted: 2022-03-09

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 80

Inclusion Criteria

1. Knee pain for most days of previous month
2. Age 40- 65 years Knee OA grade 2-3 on kellgren- Lawrence grading scale. Unilateral or bilateral (provided that they radiologically have one knee ≤ grade 1 on KL score, and clinically pain ≤2 in VAS. The more severally affected knee will be included in evaluation and treatment) BMI= 25-32 kg/m2.

Exclusion Criteria

• Symptomatic hip OA Hip or pelvis trauma Knee or hip infection Congenital or developmental disorder of lower limbs Intra-articular corticosteroid or hyaluronic acid injection into the knee within the last 3 months.

Previous surgery of the affected knee or spine. Significant injury to the knee within the past 6 months. Any disease or medication worsens physical function or hampers with knee evaluation (e.g. rheumatoid arthritis, canal stenosis..).

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Lumbar focused + knee focused exercise group	Lumbar focused exercises	Will receive strengthening of back , abdominal, and quadriceps muscles, and stretching if calf and Hamstring muscles
Knee focused exercise group	Knee focused exercises	Will receive strengthening of quadriceps and stretching of calf and Hamstring muscles
Lumbar focused + knee focused exercise group	Knee focused exercises	Will receive strengthening of back , abdominal, and quadriceps muscles, and stretching if calf and Hamstring muscles

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Average Knee Pain during last week	1year	Measured with visual analogue scale; 10 cm line, zero: no pain, 10: worst pain, during last week
Quadriceps isometric strength	1 year	Measured with Hand held dynamometer from supine, knee flexed 30 degrees

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Disability	1 year	Measured with Aggregate locomotor function score ( sum if 3 timing scires; up and diwn 7 stairs, 8 m walk, rising from chair)
Knee Proprioception absolute angular error	1year	Active joint angular reproduction at 30 degree knee flexion from sitting using inclinometer

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Kasr AlAiny hospital, Cairo university; 🇪🇬 Giza, Egypt