Knee Biomechanics During Jogging After Arthroscopic Partial Meniscectomy: A Longitudinal Study

Abstract

Background: Altered knee joint biomechanics is thought to play a role in the pathogenesis of knee osteoarthritis and has been reported in patients after arthroscopic partial meniscectomy (APM) while performing various activities. Longitudinally, understanding knee joint biomechanics during jogging may assist future studies to assess the implications of jogging on knee joint health in this population.

Purpose: To investigate knee joint biomechanics during jogging in patients 3 months after APM and a healthy control group at baseline and 2 years later at follow-up.

Study Design: Controlled laboratory study.

Methods: Seventy-eight patients who underwent medial APM and 38 healthy controls underwent a 3-dimensional motion analysis during barefoot overground jogging at baseline. Sixty-four patients who underwent APM and 23 controls returned at follow-up. External peak moments (flexion and adduction) and the peak knee flexion angle during stance were evaluated for the APM leg, non-APM leg (nonoperated leg), and control leg.

Results: At baseline, the peak knee flexion angle was 1.4° lower in the APM leg compared with the non-APM leg (P = .03). No differences were found between the moments in the APM leg compared with the control leg (all P > .05). However, the normalized peak knee adduction moment was 35% higher in the non-APM leg compared with the control leg (P = .008). In the non-APM leg, the normalized peak knee adduction and flexion moments were higher compared with the APM leg by 16% and 10%, respectively, at baseline (P ≤ .004). Despite the increase in the peak knee flexion moment in the APM leg compared with the non-APM leg (P < .001), there were no differences in the peak knee flexion moment or any other parameter assessed at 2-year follow-up between the legs (P > .05).

Conclusion: Comparing the APM leg and control leg, no differences in knee joint biomechanics during jogging for the variables assessed were observed. Higher knee moments in the non-APM leg may have clinical implications for the noninvolved leg. Kinematic differences were small (~1.4°) and therefore of questionable clinical relevance.

Clinical Relevance: These results may facilitate future clinical research regarding the implications of jogging on knee joint health in middle-aged, overweight patients after APM.