RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: To explore the relationship between knee crepitus, quadriceps muscle thickness and isometric strength in individuals with patellofemoral pain (PFP). DESIGN: Cross-sectional. PARTICIPANTS: Individuals with PFP. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Participants with PFP underwent assessments for presence, frequency and severity of knee crepitus. Real-time ultrasound images of the quadriceps muscles (rectus femoris, vastus medialis and lateralis) at rest and during contraction were obtained, muscle thickness was measured in both conditions. Maximal voluntary isometric contraction tests were performed to measure knee extensor strength. The relationship between knee crepitus and quadriceps muscle thickness and knee extensor strength was explored using logistic and linear regressions. RESULTS: Sixty individuals with PFP were included (age: 24; 60% women; 38% with crepitus). Knee crepitus severity was related to rectus femoris and vastus medialis thickness during rest (R2 = 0.19 and 0.09, respectively) and contraction (R2 = 0.16 and 0.07, respectively) and with vastus lateralis during contraction (R2 = 0.08). Isometric knee extensor strength was not related to knee crepitus presence, frequency, or severity. CONCLUSION: Higher severity of knee crepitus is related to lower quadriceps muscle thickness in individuals with PFP. There is no relationship between the presence and frequency of knee crepitus with quadriceps muscle thickness or knee extensor strength.
Assuntos
Contração Isométrica , Força Muscular , Síndrome da Dor Patelofemoral , Músculo Quadríceps , Ultrassonografia , Humanos , Estudos Transversais , Músculo Quadríceps/diagnóstico por imagem , Músculo Quadríceps/fisiopatologia , Músculo Quadríceps/fisiologia , Feminino , Força Muscular/fisiologia , Masculino , Síndrome da Dor Patelofemoral/fisiopatologia , Síndrome da Dor Patelofemoral/diagnóstico por imagem , Contração Isométrica/fisiologia , Adulto Jovem , Adulto , Articulação do Joelho/fisiopatologia , Articulação do Joelho/diagnóstico por imagemRESUMO
PURPOSE AND HYPOTHESIS: In preoperative sizing for meniscal transplantation, most authors take into consideration the length and width of the original meniscus, but not its height. This study aimed at evaluating (1) whether the meniscal height is associated with the meniscal length and width, (2) whether the heights of the meniscal segments are associated with the individual's anthropometric data, (3) whether the heights of the meniscal segments are associated with each other in the same meniscus, and (4) the degree of symmetry of the meniscal dimensions between the right and left knees. METHODS: In this cross-sectional, observational study, two independent radiologists measured the meniscal length, width and height in knee magnetic resonance imaging scans obtained from 25 patients with patello-femoral pain syndrome. Reproducibility of measurements was calculated with intraclass correlation coefficients. Associations between the anthropometric data and the meniscal measurements, the meniscal length and width versus height, and the heights of the meniscal segments in the same meniscus were examined with Pearson's correlation. RESULTS: Inter-observer reliability was excellent (>0.8) for length and height and good (0.6-0.8) for width measurements. There was also excellent agreement (>0.8) for the length and width of the menisci in the right and left knees. The heights of the horns of the lateral meniscus showed good agreement (0.6-0.8), while the heights of the other meniscal segments had excellent agreement between the sides (>0.8). There were significant associations with generally low (r < 0.5) correlation between the heights of the meniscal segments and the lengths and widths of the menisci, between the meniscal height and anthropometric data, and between the heights of the meniscal segments in the same meniscus. Correlations between anthropometric data and meniscal length and width were generally high (r > 0.7). CONCLUSIONS: There was excellent agreement between the meniscal dimensions of the right and left knees, and a weak association between the meniscal height with the meniscal width and length, between the height of the menisci with anthropometric data and between the heights of the segments in the same meniscus. The height of the meniscal segments may be a new variable in preoperative meniscal measurement.