Ambulatory knee biomechanics and muscle activity 2 years after ACL surgery: InternalBraceTM-augmented ACL repair versus ACL reconstruction versus healthy controls.

BACKGROUND: Little is known about knee mechanics and muscle control after augmented ACL repair. Our aim was to compare knee biomechanics and leg muscle activity during walking between the legs of patients 2 years after InternalBraceTM-augmented anterior cruciate ligament repair (ACL-IB) and between patients after ACL-IB and ACL reconstruction (ACL-R), and controls. METHODS: Twenty-nine ACL-IB, 27 sex- and age-matched ACL-R (hamstring tendon autograft) and 29 matched controls completed an instrumented gait analysis. Knee joint angles, moments, power, and leg muscle activity were compared between the involved and uninvolved leg in ACL-IB (paired t-tests), and between the involved legs in ACL patients and the non-dominant leg in controls (analysis of variance and posthoc Bonferroni tests) using statistical parametric mapping (SPM, P < 0.05). Means and 95% confidence intervals (CI) of differences in discrete parameters (DP; i.e., maximum/minimum) were calculated. RESULTS: Significant differences were observed in ACL-IB only in minimum knee flexion angle (DP: 2.4°, CI [-4.4;-0.5]; involved > uninvolved) and maximum knee flexion moment during stance (-0.07Nm/kg, CI [-0.13;-0.00]; involved < uninvolved), and differences between ACL-IB and ACL-R only in maximum knee flexion during swing (DP: 3.6°, CI [0.5;7.0]; ACL-IB > ACL-R). Compared to controls, ACL-IB (SPM: 0-3%GC, P = 0.015; 98-100%, P = 0.016; DP: -6.3 mm, CI [-11.7;-0.8]) and ACL-R (DP: -6.0 mm, CI [-11.4;-0.2]) had lower (maximum) anterior tibia position around heel strike. ACL-R also had lower maximum knee extension moment (DP: -0.13Nm/kg, CI [-0.23;-0.02]) and internal knee rotation moment (SPM: 34-41%GC, P < 0.001; DP: -0.03Nm/kg, CI [-0.06;-0.00]) during stance, and greater maximum semitendinosus activity before heel strike (DP: 11.2%maximum voluntary contraction, CI [0.1;21.3]) than controls. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest comparable ambulatory knee function 2 years after ACL-IB and ACL-R, with ACL-IB showing only small differences between legs. However, the differences between both ACL groups and controls suggest that function in the involved leg is not fully recovered and that ACL tear is not only a mechanical disruption but also affects the sensorimotor integrity, which may not be restored after surgery. The trend toward fewer abnormalities in knee moments and semitendinosus muscle function during walking after ACL-IB warrants further investigation and may underscore the importance of preserving the hamstring muscles as ACL agonists. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III, case-control study. TRIAL REGISTRATION: clinicaltrials.gov, NCT04429165 (12/06/2020).

The Possibility and Promise of Action Research in Pediatrics: A Scoping Review.

Action research (AR) is an umbrella term encompassing a range of related research approaches and frameworks such as participatory AR, participatory research, community-based participatory research, and community-engaged research. In contrast to conventional, investigator-led research that is conducted on or about participants, AR is conducted with those who have a "stake" in the research topic. Despite growing acceptance as an established research approach, AR is noticeably limited within pediatric health care literature. Following a structured process, we conducted a scoping review to explore AR in pediatrics within the last 10 years. Twenty-eight articles met eligibility criteria. Study themes included eliciting stakeholder perspectives, improving stakeholder experiences, and developing/evaluating tools. Future AR in pediatrics should include the measurement of specific health outcomes and greater detail of the actionable steps that resulted from the research process. Action research has potential application to improve the quality and stakeholder relevance of pediatric clinical, educational, and community research.

Age-related changes in gait biomechanics and their impact on the metabolic cost of walking: Report from a National Institute on Aging workshop.

Changes in old age that contribute to the complex issue of an increased metabolic cost of walking (mass-specific energy cost per unit distance traveled) in older adults appear to center at least in part on changes in gait biomechanics. However, age-related changes in energy metabolism, neuromuscular function and connective tissue properties also likely contribute to this problem, of which the consequences are poor mobility and increased risk of inactivity-related disease and disability. The U.S. National Institute on Aging convened a workshop in September 2021 with an interdisciplinary group of scientists to address the gaps in research related to the mechanisms and consequences of changes in mobility in old age. The goal of the workshop was to identify promising ways to move the field forward toward improving gait performance, decreasing energy cost, and enhancing mobility for older adults. This report summarizes the workshop and brings multidisciplinary insight into the known and potential causes and consequences of age-related changes in gait biomechanics. We highlight how gait mechanics and energy cost change with aging, the potential neuromuscular mechanisms and role of connective tissue in these changes, and cutting-edge interventions and technologies that may be used to measure and improve gait and mobility in older adults. Key gaps in the literature that warrant targeted research in the future are identified and discussed.

A data mining approach for determining biomechanical adaptations in runners who experienced and recovered from patellofemoral pain syndrome.

Patellofemoral pain (PFP) is a common musculoskeletal pain disorder experienced by runners. While biomechanics of those with PFP have been extensively studied, methodological considerations may omit important adaptations exhibited by those experiencing and recovered from pain. Instead of a priori selection of discrete biomechanical variables, a data mining approach was leveraged to account for the high dimensionality of running gait data. Biomechanical data of runners symptomatic for, recovered from, and who had never experienced PFP were collected at the 1st (M1) and 21st (M21) minutes of a treadmill run. Principal component analysis and a logistic regression model were used to classify healthy and symptomatic runners, and a feature ranking process determined the important features. The M1 model achieved an accuracy of 82.76% with features related to knee flexion angle, hip abduction moment and gluteus maximus activation, while the M21 model required an additional nine features to achieve an accuracy of 79.31%. Data for recovered runners were projected onto the models, resulting in five and seven out of twelve symptomatic classifications at M1 and M21, respectively. Following the onset of pain, a greater number of features were required to classify runners with PFP, suggesting they may experience individual pain adaptation strategies.

Lower back kinetic demands during induced lower limb gait asymmetries.

BACKGROUND: Gait asymmetries are common in many clinical populations (e.g., amputation, injury, or deformities) and are associated with a high incidence of lower back pain. Despite this high incidence, the impact of gait asymmetries on lower back kinetic demands are not well characterized due to experimental limitations in these clinical populations. Therefore, we artificially and safely induced gait asymmetry during walking in healthy able-bodied participants to examine lower back kinetic demands compared to their normal gait. RESEARCH QUESTION: Are lower back kinetic demands different during artificially induced asymmetries than those during normal gait? METHODS: L5/S1 vertebral joint kinetics and trunk muscle forces were estimated during gait in twelve healthy men and women with a musculoskeletal lower back model that uniquely incorporated participant-specific responses using an EMG optimization approach. Five walking conditions were conducted on a force-measuring treadmill, including normal unperturbed "symmetrical" gait, and asymmetrical gait induced by unilaterally altering leg mass, leg length, and ankle joint motion in various combinations. Gait symmetry index and lower back kinetics were compared with repeated-measures ANOVAs and post hoc tests (α = .05). RESULTS: The perturbations were successful in producing different degrees of step length and stance time gait asymmetries (p < .01). However, lower back kinetic demands associated with asymmetrical gait were similar to, or only moderately different from normal walking for most conditions despite the observed asymmetries. SIGNIFICANCE: Our findings indicate that the high incidence of lower back pain often associated with gait asymmetries may not be a direct effect of increased lower back demands. If biomechanical demands are responsible for the high incidence of lower back pain in such populations, daily tasks besides walking may be responsible and warrant further investigation.

Knee extensor functional demand in individuals with knee osteoarthritis.

BACKGROUND: Knee extensor (KE) weakness is commonly exhibited in individuals with knee osteoarthritis (KOA) and may contribute to disability due an increased muscle functional demand and resulting compensatory gait strategies during locomotion. Muscle functional demand is defined as the percentage of maximal strength that is used during a task. RESEARCH QUESTION: The study aim was to quantify KE functional demand in KOA, the impact of walking speed and the relationships with the relative joint contribution to total limb work. METHODS: Fourteen individuals with symptomatic KOA underwent gait analysis at preferred and faster speeds and isokinetic dynamometry for KE maximum voluntary isometric torque. The KE functional demand as well as the relative and peak joint work and powers were calculated. Paired samples t-test was used to compare functional demand and relative work between speeds and Pearson's correlation was used to assess the relationship between relative work and functional demand values (α = 0.05). RESULTS: The KE functional demand was 36.0 ± 15.7 % for the preferred speed and significantly higher at 49.8 ± 16.1 % for the faster speed, (t(13) = -5.45, p .05). Knee flexion moment was also significantly higher for the faster speed (t(13) = -5.54, p .001). There were significant relationships between fast speed functional demand and relative ankle negative power (r = -0.57) and relative ankle positive work (r = 0.66), (all p .05). SIGNIFICANCE: The results suggest that as functional demand nears or exceeds 50 % of the muscle capacity individuals with KOA reduce the relative effort at the knee and use an ankle-based compensation strategy to meet task demands.

Acceptability of Time-Limited Eating in Pediatric Weight Management.

Background: Adherence to dietary interventions is a significant barrier in the treatment of childhood obesity. Time-limited eating (TLE) is a simple dietary approach that limits food intake to a given number of consecutive hours per day, but parental and youth acceptability of TLE in youth with obesity is unknown. This study explored the feasibility of utilizing TLE among parents and youth attending pediatric weight management (PWM). Methods: Members of COMPASS (Childhood Obesity Multi-Program Analysis and Study System) developed a survey to assess the acceptability of TLE in families attending PWM, which included patient characteristics, current diet and sleep schedules, and interests in trying TLE. The survey was administered electronically via REDCap or manually to parents of patients between the ages of 8-17 years old and to patients 11-17 years old attending one of five PWM practices in the COMPASS network. Results: Patients (n=213) were 13.0 ± 2.5 years old, 58% female, 52% White, 22% Black, 17% Hispanic/Latino, and 47% reported a diagnosed psychological disorder. On average, parents reported their child's daily eating spanned 12.5 ± 1.9 hours (7:35am - 8:05pm) and included 5.6 ± 1.6 eating bouts (meals + snacks). Most parents reported being likely to try TLE ≤12 hours/d (TLE12: 66%), which was similar to the likelihood of following a nutrient-balanced diet (59%). Likelihood was lower for TLE ≤10 hours/d (TLE10: 39%) or ≤8 hours/d (TLE8: 26%) (p<0.001 for both). Interest in TLE was not consistently related to patient age, sex, or ethnicity, but was lower in patients with a psychiatric diagnosis vs. no diagnosis (TLE8: 19% vs. 32%; p=0.034). Patients of parents who reported being likely to try TLE, compared to those unlikely to try TLE, had shorter eating windows (p<0.001) and ate fewer snacks (p=0.006). Conclusions: Two-thirds of parents with children attending PWM programs report interest in TLE ≤12 hours/d regardless of demographic characteristics, but interest wanes when limiting eating to ≤10 or ≤8 hours per day. Time-limited eating appears to be a feasible option in PWM settings provided treatment options are individualized based on the interests and barriers of patients and their families.

Serotonin Surge: Intravenous Escitalopram as a Rare Cause of Drug-Induced Aplastic Anaemia.

Escitalopram is a commonly prescribed medication that has infrequently been implicated in drug-induced thrombocytopenia (DITP) but has never been associated with aplastic anaemia in the literature. We present an extremely rare case of hypoproliferative pancytopenia due to self-administered intravenous (IV) injection of escitalopram. The crux of this case is the unusual trilineage cytopenia. Our patient was managed with steroids and supportive care with subsequent clinical and blood count recovery. This case sheds light on this uncommon but important association. LEARNING POINTS: Escitalopram is an uncommon medication that could lead to drug-induced aplastic anaemia.The adverse effects of escitalopram on red cell, white cell and platelet counts may be exacerbated on intravenous administration of the medication.Timely diagnosis is vital for the effective treatment of severe aplastic anaemia, avoiding complications and preventing recurrence.

Variable Stiffness Shoes for Knee Osteoarthritis: An Evaluation of 3-Dimensional Gait Mechanics and Medial Joint Contact Forces.

The study aim was to quantify the impact of a commercially available variable stiffness shoe (VSS) on 3-dimensional ankle, knee, and hip mechanics and estimated knee contact forces compared with a control shoe. Fourteen participants (10 females) with knee osteoarthritis completed gait analysis after providing informed consent. Shoe conditions tested were control shoe (New Balance MW411v2) and VSS (Abeo SMART3400). An OpenSim musculoskeletal model with static optimization was used to estimate knee contact forces. There were no differences in joint kinematics or in the knee adduction or flexion moments (P = .06; P = .2). There were increases in the knee internal and external rotation (P = .02; P = .03) and hip adduction and internal rotation moments for VSS versus control (P = .03; P = .02). The estimated contact forces were not different between shoes (total P = .3, medial P = .1, and lateral P = .8), but contact force changes were correlated with changes in the knee adduction moment (medial r2 = .61; P < .007). High variability in knee flexion moment changes and increases in the internal rotation moment combined with small decreases in the knee adduction moment did not lead to decreases in estimated contact forces. These results suggest that evaluation of VSS using only the knee adduction moment may not adequately capture its impact on osteoarthritis.

Estimating Ground Reaction Force and Center of Pressure Using Low-Cost Wearable Devices.

OBJECTIVE: Ambulatory monitoring of ground reaction force (GRF) and center of pressure (CoP) could improve management of health conditions that impair mobility. Insoles instrumented with force-sensitive resistors (FSRs) are an unobtrusive, low-cost, and low-power technology for sampling GRF and CoP in real-world environments. However, FSRs have variable response characteristics that complicate estimation of GRF and CoP. This study introduces a unique data analytic pipeline that enables accurate estimation of GRF and CoP despite relatively inaccurate FSR responses. This paper also investigates whether inclusion of a complementary knee angle sensor improves estimation accuracy. METHODS: Seventeen healthy subjects were equipped with an insole instrumented with six FSRs and a string-based knee angle sensor. Subjects walked in a straight line at self-selected slow, preferred, and fast speeds over an in-ground force platform. Twenty repetitions were performed for each speed. Supervised machine learning models estimated weight-normalized GRF and shoe size-normalized CoP, which were re-scaled to obtain GRF and CoP. RESULTS: Anteroposterior GRF, Vertical GRF, and Anteroposterior CoP were estimated with a normalized root mean square error (NRMSE) of less than 5%. Mediolateral GRF and CoP were estimated with an NRMSE of 8.1% and 6.4%, respectively. Knee angle-related features slightly improved GRF estimates. CONCLUSION: Normalized models accurately estimated GRF and CoP despite deficiencies in FSR data. SIGNIFICANCE: Ambulatory use of the proposed system could enable objective, longitudinal monitoring of severity and progression for a variety of health conditions.

Impact of parity on biomechanical risk factors for knee OA initiation.

BACKGROUND: Women are twice as likely as men to develop knee osteoarthritis (OA), and with it experience greater losses of physical function and disability. A change in the mechanical environment of the joint is a key initiating factor for knee OA. Differences in morphology, joint injury risk, and hormonal shifts in mid-life are often considered factors which increase OA risk for women. Pregnancy, a time of significant hormonal, morphological, and biomechanical change, has received comparably less attention. If morphological and biomechanical changes persist postpartum, this could increase OA risk for parous (childbearing) women. RESEARCH QUESTION: Are lower limb gait mechanics different between healthy nulliparous (non-childbearing) and parous (childbearing) women? METHODS: Twenty-eight self-reported not pregnant female participants (14 parous, 14 nulliparous) were recruited for the study. Nulliparous participants had never given birth to a child. Parous participants had given birth to at least one full-term infant (37-42 weeks) without complications between one to five years before data collection. Motion capture of participants' preferred, fast, and set (1.4 m/s) walking speeds was conducted. Repeated measures ANOVA were performed to test for significant group differences in joint kinematics and kinetics. RESULTS: There was a significant main effect of group indicating a larger knee flexion angle at toe off (p = 0.0002), smaller knee extension moment at heel strike (p = 0.0006), smaller first peak knee flexion moment (p = 0.040), and smaller peak hip adduction moment for the parous group compared to the nulliparous group (p = 0.003). Static Q-angle did not differ between groups. SIGNIFICANCE: Alteration in mechanics from the habitual loading pattern are thought to increase risk of OA. Smaller knee moments in post-partum women could alter the mechanical stimulus to cartilage, and should be investigated in conjunction with cartilage health measures to determine the link with OA initiation.

A Simple Low-Cost Wearable Sensor for Long-Term Ambulatory Monitoring of Knee Joint Kinematics.

OBJECTIVE: Accurate monitoring of joint kinematics in individuals with neuromuscular and musculoskeletal disorders within ambulatory settings could provide important information about changes in disease status and the effectiveness of rehabilitation programs and/or pharmacological treatments. This paper introduces a reliable, power efficient, and low-cost wearable system designed for the long-term monitoring of joint kinematics in ambulatory settings. METHODS: Seventeen healthy subjects wore a retractable string sensor, fixed to two anchor points on the opposing segments of the knee joint, while walking at three different self-selected speeds. Joint angles were estimated from calibrated sensor values and their derivatives in a leave-one-subject-out cross validation manner using a random forest algorithm. RESULTS: The proposed system estimated knee flexion/extension angles with a root mean square error (RMSE) of 5.0°±1.0° across the study subjects upon removal of a single outlier subject. The outlier was likely a result of sensor miscalibration. CONCLUSION: The proposed wearable device can accurately estimate knee flexion/extension angles during locomotion at various walking speeds. SIGNIFICANCE: We believe that our novel wearable technology has great potential to enable joint kinematic monitoring in ambulatory settings and thus provide clinicians with an opportunity to closely monitor joint recovery, develop optimal, personalized rehabilitation programs, and ultimately maximize therapeutic outcomes.

Comparisons of Knee Extensor Functional Demand During Gait by Age, Physical Activity Level, and the Impact of Acute Exercise and Walking Speed.

The link between age-related changes in muscle strength and gait is unclear. We tested if knee extensor functional demand differs by age and physical activity status and if functional demand increases with walking speed or after exercise. Gait and knee extensor muscle torque were collected from young adults and highly and less active older adults before and after treadmill walking. Functional demand was the ratio of knee moments during gait to knee extensor muscle torques estimated from participant-specific torque-velocity curves. Functional demand at the peak knee flexion moment was greater in less active older adults than young adults (29.3% [14.3%] vs 24.6% [12.1%]) and increased with walking speed (32.0% [13.9%] vs 22.8% [10.4%]). Functional demand at both knee extension moments increased ∼2% to 3% after exercise. The low functional demand found in this study suggests that healthy adults maintain a reserve of knee extensor strength.

Comparison of measurement protocols to estimate preferred walking speed between sites.

BACKGROUND: Walking speed influences a variety of typical outcome measures in gait analysis. Many researchers use a participant's preferred walking speed (PWS) during gait analysis with a goal of trying to capture how a participant would typically walk. However, the best practices for estimating PWS and the impact of laboratory size and walk distance are still unclear. RESEARCH QUESTION: Is measured PWS consistent across different distances and between two laboratory sites? METHODS: Participants walked overground at a "comfortable speed" for six different conditions with either dynamic (4, 6, 10, and 400 m) or static (4 and 10 m) starts and stops at two different data collection sites. Repeated measures ANOVA with Bonferroni corrections were used to test for differences between conditions and sites. RESULTS: Participants walked significantly faster in the 4, 6, and 10 m dynamic conditions than in the 400 m condition. On average, participants walked slower in the static trials than the dynamic trials of the same distance. There was a significant interaction of lab and condition and so results were examined within each lab. Across both labs, we found that the 4 and 10 m dynamic conditions were not different than the 6 m dynamic condition at both sites, while other tests did not provide consistent results at both sites. SIGNIFICANCE: We recommend researchers use a 6 m distance with acceleration and deceleration zones to reliably test for PWS across different laboratories. Given some of the differences found between conditions that varied by site, we also emphasize the need to report the test environment and methods used to estimate PWS in all future studies so that the methods can be replicated between studies.

Virtual Reality Analgesia in Labor: The VRAIL Pilot Study-A Preliminary Randomized Controlled Trial Suggesting Benefit of Immersive Virtual Reality Analgesia in Unmedicated Laboring Women.

This pilot study investigated the use of virtual reality (VR) in laboring women. Twenty-seven women were observed for equivalent time during unmedicated contractions in the first stage of labor both with and without VR (order balanced and randomized). Numeric rating scale scores were collected after both study conditions. Significant decreases in sensory pain -1.5 (95% CI, -0.8 to -2.2), affective pain -2.5 (95% CI, -1.6 to -3.3), cognitive pain -3.1 (95% CI, -2.4 to -3.8), and anxiety -1.5 (95% CI, -0.8 to -2.3) were observed during VR. Results suggest that VR is a potentially effective technique for improving pain and anxiety during labor.

The Roles of Sex and Physical Activity in Gait and Knee Extensor Function With Age.

Older females experience higher rates of disability than males, potentially due to sex-specific differences in gait and muscle function. The authors evaluated the effects of age and physical activity (PA) on gait mechanics and knee extensor muscle function in males and females. Three groups of 20 individuals (each 10 females) participated: young (21-35 y) and highly and less active older (55-70 y) adults. Knee extensor strength and joint mechanics during preferred speed gait were collected before and after 30 minutes of walking. Age by sex and PA by sex interactions indicated older and less active older females had lower concentric knee extensor muscle power and larger hip extension moments than males. After 30 minutes of walking, older less active adults had larger decreases in knee extensor power than their highly active older counterparts, and older adults of both sexes had decreases in ankle dorsiflexion moments while young adults did not. These results suggest that older, particularly less active, adults are susceptible to knee extensor muscle fatigue from moderate activity. For older adults, high levels of PA may be necessary to preserve gait mechanics in response to a bout of exercise. This new information may be important for targeting interventions in at-risk older adults.

Gait mechanics contribute to exercise induced pain flares in knee osteoarthritis.

BACKGROUND: Exercise-induced pain flares represent a significant barrier for individuals with knee osteoarthritis to meet physical activity recommendations. There is a need to understand factors that contribute to pain flares and the potential for the motor system to adapt and reduce joint loading should a flare occur. The study aim was to examine the impact of a bout of exercise on self-reported pain, walking mechanics and muscle co-contraction for participants with knee osteoarthritis. METHODS: Thirty-six adults (17 healthy older and 19 knee osteoarthritis) participated in this study. Self-reported pain, joint mechanics and muscle co-activation during gait at two self-selected speeds were collected before and after a 20-min preferred pace treadmill walk (20MTW). RESULTS: Eight of nineteen osteoarthritis participants had a clinically significant pain flare response to the 20MTW. At baseline the participants that did not experience a pain flare had smaller knee flexion and total reaction moments compared to both the participants with pain flares (p = 0.02; p = 0.05) and controls (p < 0.001; p < 0.001). In addition, the 2nd peak knee adduction (p = 0.01) and internal rotation (p = 0.001) moments were smaller in the no flares as compared to controls. The pain flare participants differed from controls with smaller knee internal rotation moments (p = 0.03), but greater relative hamstrings (vs. quadriceps) and medial (vs. lateral) muscle activation (p = 0.04, p = 0.04) compared to both controls and no flare participants (p = 0.04, p = 0.007). Following the 20MTW there were greater decreases in the 1st and 2nd peak knee adduction (p = 0.03; p = 0.02), and internal rotation (p = 0.002) moments for the pain flare as compared to the no flare group. In addition, for the pain flare as compared to controls, greater decreases in the knee flexion (p = 0.03) and internal rotation (p = 0.005) moments were found. CONCLUSIONS: Individuals who adapt their gait to reduce knee joint loads may be less susceptible to exercise-induced pain flares. This highlights a potential role of gait biomechanics in short-term osteoarthritis pain fluctuations. The results also suggest that despite the chronic nature of osteoarthritis pain, the motor system's ability to respond to nociceptive stimuli remains intact.

Physical activity and age-related biomechanical risk factors for knee osteoarthritis.

BACKGROUND: Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is a highly prevalent disease leading to mobility disability in the aged that could, in part, be initiated by age-related alterations in knee mechanics. However, if and how knee mechanics change with age remains unclear. RESEARCH QUESTION: What are the impacts of age and physical activity (PA) on biomechanical characteristics that can affect the loading environment in the knee during gait? METHODS: Three groups (n = 20 each, 10 male and 10 female) of healthy adults were recruited: young (Y, 21-35 years), mid-life highly active (MHi, 55-70 years, runners), and mid-life less active (MLo, 55-70 years, low PA). Outcome measures included knee kinematics and kinetics and co-activation during gait, and knee extensor muscle torque and power collected at baseline and after a 30-minute treadmill trial to determine the impact of prolonged walking on knee function. RESULTS: At baseline, high-velocity concentric knee extensor power was lower for MLo and MHi compared with Y, and MLo displayed greater early (6.0 ± 5.8 mm) and peak during stance (11.3 ± 7.8 mm) femoral anterior displacement relative to the tibia compared with Y (0.2 ± 5.6 and 4.4 ± 6.8 mm). Also at baseline, MLo showed equal quadriceps:hamstrings activation, while Y showed greater relative hamstrings activation during midstance. The walking bout induced substantial knee extensor fatigue (decrease in maximal torque and power) in Y and MLo, while MHi were fatigue-resistant. SIGNIFICANCE: These results indicate that maintenance of PA in mid-life may impart small but measurable effects on knee function and biomechanics that may translate to a more stable loading environment in the knee through mid-life and thus could reduce knee OA risk long-term.

Altered multi-muscle coordination patterns in habitual forefoot runners during a prolonged, exhaustive run.

Introduction: In response to fatigue during an exhaustive treadmill run, forefoot runner's muscles must adapt to maintain their pace. From a neuromuscular control perspective, certain muscles may not be able to sustain the force to meet the run's demands; thus, there may be alternative muscle coordination in the lower extremity that allows for continued running for an extended period of time. The aim of this study was to quantify the change in muscle coordination during a prolonged run in forefoot runners. Methods: Thirteen forefoot runners performed exhaustive treadmill runs (mean duration: 15.4 ± 2.2 min). The muscle coordination of seven lower extremity muscles was quantified using a high-resolution time-frequency analysis together with a pattern recognition algorithm. Results: The mean EMG intensity for the lateral and medial gastrocnemius muscles decreased with the run (p = 0.02; 0.06). The weight factors of the second principal pattern decrease by 128.01% by the end of run (p = 0.05, Cohen's d = 0.42) representing a relatively greater biceps femoris activation in midstance but smaller midstance rectus femoris, vastus medialis, triceps surae, and tibialis anterior activation. Discussion: These results suggest that forefoot runners cannot sustain plantar flexor activation throughout an exhaustive run and change their muscle coordination strategy as a compensation. Understanding the underlying compensation mechanisms humans use to cope with fatigue will help to inform training modalities to enhance these late stage muscle activation strategies for athletes with the goal of improving performance and reducing injury.