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Evans-Pickett A, Davis-Wilson HC, Johnston CD, Blackburn JT, Hackney AC, Pietrosimone B. Immediate Effects of Walking With a Knee Brace After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction: A Biomechanical, Biochemical, and Structural Approach. J Athl Train 2023; 58:542-553. [PMID: 35119477 PMCID: PMC10496450 DOI: 10.4085/1062-6050-0700.20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
CONTEXT Individuals who undergo anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) are at higher risk of posttraumatic osteoarthritis. Altered joint tissue loading caused by aberrant gait biomechanics leads to deleterious changes in joint health linked to the onset of posttraumatic osteoarthritis. Knee braces have been used to modify joint tissue loading in individuals with joint injury, yet the effects of walking with a brace after ACLR on biomechanical, biochemical, and structural cartilage outcomes are unknown. OBJECTIVE To compare biomechanical, biochemical, and structural outcomes between braced and nonbraced walking in individuals with ACLR. DESIGN Crossover study. SETTING Research laboratory. PATIENTS OR OTHER PARTICIPANTS A total of 34 individuals with unilateral ACLR (18 females, 16 males; time since ACLR = 50.1 ± 36.8 months). INTERVENTION(S) Gait biomechanics were assessed during braced and unbraced conditions on separate days. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S) Vertical ground reaction force, knee-flexion angle, and internal knee-extension moment waveforms were evaluated throughout the stance phase and compared between conditions. Percentage changes in serum cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (%ΔCOMP) and femoral cartilage cross-sectional area (%ΔCSA) measured via ultrasound were calculated after a 3000-step walking protocol. RESULTS Braced walking increased the knee-flexion angle (largest difference = 3.56°; Cohen d effect size = 1.72) and knee-extension moment (largest difference = -0.48% body weight × height; Cohen d effect size = -1.14) compared with nonbraced walking but did not influence vertical ground reaction force. Whereas no difference (P = .20) in %ΔCOMP existed between the braced and nonbraced conditions in the entire cohort (n = 30 with complete blood data), a larger increase (P = .04) in %ΔCOMP was seen during nonbraced than braced walking in individuals who demonstrated increased COMP during nonbraced walking. No difference (P = .86) in %ΔCSA was present between the braced and nonbraced conditions. CONCLUSIONS Braced walking may improve sagittal-plane gait biomechanics and %ΔCOMP in a subset of individuals who demonstrate a typical increased COMP response to load (ie, increase in COMP) after nonbraced walking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alyssa Evans-Pickett
- MOTION Science Institute, Department of Exercise and Sport Science, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- Human Movement Science Curriculum, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
| | - Hope C. Davis-Wilson
- MOTION Science Institute, Department of Exercise and Sport Science, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- Human Movement Science Curriculum, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- Physical Therapy Department, School of Medicine, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora
| | - Christopher D. Johnston
- MOTION Science Institute, Department of Exercise and Sport Science, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- Human Movement Science Curriculum, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- Department of Athletic Training, High Point University, NC
| | - J. Troy Blackburn
- MOTION Science Institute, Department of Exercise and Sport Science, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- Human Movement Science Curriculum, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- Department of Orthopaedics, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
| | - Anthony C. Hackney
- MOTION Science Institute, Department of Exercise and Sport Science, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- Human Movement Science Curriculum, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- Department of Nutrition, School of Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
| | - Brian Pietrosimone
- MOTION Science Institute, Department of Exercise and Sport Science, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- Human Movement Science Curriculum, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- Department of Orthopaedics, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
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Evans-Pickett A, Lisee C, Zachary Horton W, Lalush D, Nissman D, Troy Blackburn J, Spang JT, Pietrosimone B. Worse Tibiofemoral Cartilage Composition Is Associated with Insufficient Gait Kinetics After ACL Reconstruction. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2022; 54:1771-1781. [PMID: 35700436 PMCID: PMC9481723 DOI: 10.1249/mss.0000000000002969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Greater articular cartilage T1ρ magnetic resonance imaging relaxation times indicate less proteoglycan density and are linked to posttraumatic osteoarthritis development after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR). Although changes in T1ρ relaxation times are associated with gait biomechanics, it is unclear if excessive or insufficient knee joint loading is linked to greater T1ρ relaxation times 12 months post-ACLR. The purpose of this study was to compare external knee adduction (KAM) and flexion (KFM) moments in individuals after ACLR with high versus low tibiofemoral T1ρ relaxation profiles and uninjured controls. METHODS Gait biomechanics were collected in 26 uninjured controls (50% females; age, 22 ± 4 yr; body mass index, 23.9 ± 2.8 kg·m -2 ) and 26 individuals after ACLR (50% females; age, 22 ± 4 yr; body mass index, 24.2 ± 3.5 kg·m -2 ) at 6 and 12 months post-ACLR. ACLR-T1ρ High ( n = 9) and ACLR-T1ρ Low ( n = 17) groups were created based on 12-month post-ACLR T1ρ relaxation times using a k-means cluster analysis. Functional analyses of variance were used to compare KAM and KFM. RESULTS ACLR-T1ρ High exhibited lesser KAM than ACLR-T1ρ Low and uninjured controls 6 months post-ACLR. ACLR-T1ρ Low exhibited greater KAM than uninjured controls 6 and 12 months post-ACLR. KAM increased in ACLR-T1ρ High and decreased in ACLR-T1ρ Low between 6 and 12 months, both groups becoming more similar to uninjured controls. There were scant differences in KFM between ACLR-T1ρ High and ACLR-T1ρ Low 6 or 12 months post-ACLR, but both groups demonstrated lesser KFM compared with uninjured controls. CONCLUSIONS Associations between worse T1ρ profiles and increases in KAM may be driven by the normalization of KAM in individuals who initially exhibit insufficient KAM 6 months post-ACLR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alyssa Evans-Pickett
- MOTION Science Institute, Department of Exercise and Sport Science, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
- Human Movement Science Curriculum, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
| | - Caroline Lisee
- MOTION Science Institute, Department of Exercise and Sport Science, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
| | - W. Zachary Horton
- Department of Statistics, University of California at Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA
| | - David Lalush
- Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, North Carolina State University and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Raleigh, NC
| | - Daniel Nissman
- Department of Radiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
| | - J. Troy Blackburn
- MOTION Science Institute, Department of Exercise and Sport Science, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
- Human Movement Science Curriculum, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
- Department of Orthopaedics, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC
| | - Jeffrey T. Spang
- Department of Orthopaedics, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC
| | - Brian Pietrosimone
- MOTION Science Institute, Department of Exercise and Sport Science, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
- Human Movement Science Curriculum, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
- Department of Orthopaedics, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC
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Evans-Pickett A, Longobardi L, Spang JT, Creighton RA, Kamath G, Davis-Wilson HC, Loeser R, Blackburn JT, Pietrosimone B. Synovial fluid concentrations of matrix Metalloproteinase-3 and Interluekin-6 following anterior cruciate ligament injury associate with gait biomechanics 6 months following reconstruction. Osteoarthritis Cartilage 2021; 29:1006-1019. [PMID: 33781899 PMCID: PMC8658576 DOI: 10.1016/j.joca.2021.03.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2020] [Revised: 03/11/2021] [Accepted: 03/15/2021] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To compare gait biomechanics 6 months following anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction (ACLR) between patients with the highest and lowest concentrations of synovial fluid (SF) interleukin-6 (IL-6) and matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP-3), as well as compared to uninjured controls. DESIGN SF concentrations of IL-6 and MMP-3 were collected 7 ± 4 days post injury in 38 ACL injured patients (55% female, 21±4yrs, 25.3 ± 5.2BMI). ACL injured individuals were stratified into the lowest and highest quartiles based on IL-6 (IL-6Lowest and IL-6Highest) and MMP-3 (MMP-3Lowest and MMP-3Highest) concentrations. Gait biomechanics were collected on the injured limb 6 months post-ACLR and in 38 uninjured controls (50% female, 21±3yrs, 23.8 ± 2.8BMI). Functional analyses of variance were used to compare vertical ground reaction force (vGRF), knee flexion angle (KFA), and internal knee extension moment (KEM) waveforms throughout stance phase of gait to determine the proportions of stance differing between limbs and groups. RESULTS Compared to uninjured controls, IL-6High and MMP-3High ACL subgroups demonstrated lesser vGRF (largest differences: IL-6, 7.88%BW; MMP-3, 11.05%BW) during early-stance and greater vGRF (largest differences: IL-6, 6.21%BW; MMP-3, 5.85%BW) in mid-stance, lesser KFA (largest differences: IL-6, 3.11°; MMP-3, 3.72°) and lesser KEM (largest differences: IL-6, 0.96%BW•m; MMP-3, 1.07%BW•m) in early-stance, as well as greater KFA in mid-stance (largest differences: IL-6, 1.5°; MMP-3, 2.95°). CONCLUSIONS High SF concentrations of a proinflammatory cytokine and a degradative enzyme early post-ACL injury are associated with aberrant gait biomechanics in the injured limb at 6 months post-ACLR (i.e., lesser vGRF, KFA and KEM) linked to posttraumatic osteoarthritis development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alyssa Evans-Pickett
- MOTION Science Institute, Department of Exercise and
Sport Science, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United
States,Human Movement Science Curriculum, University of
North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States,Corresponding Author: Alyssa Evans-Pickett, Ph.D.
Student, Department of Exercise and Sport Science, University of North Carolina
at Chapel Hill, 210 South Road Fetzer Hall, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, United
States,
| | - Lara Longobardi
- Thurston Arthritis Research Center, University of
North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 27599, United States
| | - Jeffrey T. Spang
- Department of Orthopaedics, School of Medicine,
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 27599, NC, United States
| | - R. Alexander Creighton
- Department of Orthopaedics, School of Medicine,
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 27599, NC, United States
| | - Ganesh Kamath
- Department of Orthopaedics, School of Medicine,
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 27599, NC, United States
| | - Hope C. Davis-Wilson
- MOTION Science Institute, Department of Exercise and
Sport Science, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United
States,Human Movement Science Curriculum, University of
North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Richard Loeser
- Thurston Arthritis Research Center, University of
North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 27599, United States
| | - J. Troy Blackburn
- MOTION Science Institute, Department of Exercise and
Sport Science, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United
States,Human Movement Science Curriculum, University of
North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States,Department of Orthopaedics, School of Medicine,
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 27599, NC, United States
| | - Brian Pietrosimone
- MOTION Science Institute, Department of Exercise and
Sport Science, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United
States,Human Movement Science Curriculum, University of
North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States,Department of Orthopaedics, School of Medicine,
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 27599, NC, United States
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Evans-Pickett A, Davis-Wilson HC, Luc-Harkey BA, Blackburn JT, Franz JR, Padua DA, Seeley MK, Pietrosimone B. Biomechanical effects of manipulating peak vertical ground reaction force throughout gait in individuals 6-12 months after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. Clin Biomech (Bristol, Avon) 2020; 76:105014. [PMID: 32388079 PMCID: PMC8658526 DOI: 10.1016/j.clinbiomech.2020.105014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2019] [Revised: 01/15/2020] [Accepted: 04/17/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND We aimed to determine the effect of cueing an increase or decrease in the vertical ground reaction force impact peak (peak in the first 50% of stance) on vertical ground reaction force, knee flexion angle, internal knee extension moment, and internal knee abduction moment waveforms throughout stance in individuals 6-12 months after an anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. METHODS Twelve individuals completed 3 conditions (High, Low, and Control) where High and Low Conditions cue a 5% body weight increase or decrease, respectively, in the vertical ground reaction force impact peak compared to usual walking. Biomechanics during High and Low Conditions were compared to the Control Condition throughout stance. FINDINGS The High Condition resulted in: (a) increased vertical ground reaction forces at each peak and decreased during mid-stance, (b) greater knee excursion (i.e., greater knee flexion angle in early stance and a more extended knee in late stance), (c) greater internal extension moment for the majority of stance, and (d) lesser second internal knee abduction moment peak. The Low Condition resulted in: (a) vertical ground reaction forces decreased during early stance and increased during mid-stance, (b) decreased knee excursion, (c) increased internal extension moment throughout stance, and (d) decreased internal knee abduction moment peaks. INTERPRETATION Cueing a 5% body weight increase in vertical ground reaction force impact peak resulted in a more dynamic vertical ground reaction force loading pattern, increased knee excursion, and a greater internal extension moment during stance which may be useful in restoring gait patterns following anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alyssa Evans-Pickett
- MOTION Science Institute, Department of Exercise and Sport Science, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States; Human Movement Science Curriculum, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States.
| | - Hope C Davis-Wilson
- MOTION Science Institute, Department of Exercise and Sport Science, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States; Human Movement Science Curriculum, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Brittney A Luc-Harkey
- Neurological Clinical Research Institute, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
| | - J Troy Blackburn
- MOTION Science Institute, Department of Exercise and Sport Science, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States; Human Movement Science Curriculum, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Jason R Franz
- Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and North Carolina State University, NC, United States
| | - Darin A Padua
- MOTION Science Institute, Department of Exercise and Sport Science, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States; Human Movement Science Curriculum, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Matthew K Seeley
- Department of Exercise Sciences, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, United States
| | - Brian Pietrosimone
- MOTION Science Institute, Department of Exercise and Sport Science, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States; Human Movement Science Curriculum, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
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