Sang Hoon Kang1, Song Joo Lee2, Li-Qun Zhang3. 1. Sensory Motor Performance Program, Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60611, USA; Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60201, USA. Electronic address: sanghoon.kang@northwestern.edu. 2. Sensory Motor Performance Program, Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60611, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60201, USA. Electronic address: Song-lee@northwestern.edu. 3. Sensory Motor Performance Program, Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60611, USA; Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60201, USA; Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA. Electronic address: l-zhang@northwestern.edu.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The external knee adduction moment (EKAM) is closely associated with the presence, progression, and severity of knee osteoarthritis (OA). However, there is a lack of convenient and practical method to estimate and track in real-time the EKAM of patients with knee OA for clinical evaluation and gait training, especially outside of gait laboratories. NEW METHOD: A real-time EKAM estimation method was developed and applied to track and investigate the EKAM and other knee moments during stepping on an elliptical trainer in both healthy subjects and a patient with knee OA. RESULTS: Substantial changes were observed in the EKAM and other knee moments during stepping in the patient with knee OA. COMPARISON WITH EXISTING METHOD(S): This is the first study to develop and test feasibility of real-time tracking method of the EKAM on patients with knee OA using 3-D inverse dynamics. CONCLUSIONS: The study provides us an accurate and practical method to evaluate in real-time the critical EKAM associated with knee OA, which is expected to help us to diagnose and evaluate patients with knee OA and provide the patients with real-time EKAM feedback rehabilitation training.
BACKGROUND: The external knee adduction moment (EKAM) is closely associated with the presence, progression, and severity of knee osteoarthritis (OA). However, there is a lack of convenient and practical method to estimate and track in real-time the EKAM of patients with knee OA for clinical evaluation and gait training, especially outside of gait laboratories. NEW METHOD: A real-time EKAM estimation method was developed and applied to track and investigate the EKAM and other knee moments during stepping on an elliptical trainer in both healthy subjects and a patient with knee OA. RESULTS: Substantial changes were observed in the EKAM and other knee moments during stepping in the patient with knee OA. COMPARISON WITH EXISTING METHOD(S): This is the first study to develop and test feasibility of real-time tracking method of the EKAM on patients with knee OA using 3-D inverse dynamics. CONCLUSIONS: The study provides us an accurate and practical method to evaluate in real-time the critical EKAM associated with knee OA, which is expected to help us to diagnose and evaluate patients with knee OA and provide the patients with real-time EKAM feedback rehabilitation training.