Body weight support through a walking cane in inexperienced users with knee osteoarthritis

BackgroundWalking canes are a self-management strategy recommended for people with knee osteoarthritis (OA) by clinical practice guidelines. Ensuring that an adequate amount of body-weight support (%BWS) is taken through the walking cane is important as this reduces measures of knee joint loading.Research question1) How much body weight support do people with knee OA place through a cane? 2) Do measures of body weight support increase following a brief simple training session?MethodsSeventeen individuals with knee pain who had not used a walking cane before were recruited. A standard-grip aluminum cane was then used for 1 week with limited manufacturer instructions. Following this, participants were evaluated using an instrumented force-measuring cane to assess body weight support (% total body weight) through the cane. Force data were recorded during a 430-metre walk undertaken twice; once before 10 min of cane training administered by a physiotherapist, and once immediately after training. Measures of BWS (peak force, average force, impulse equal to the average cane force times duration, and cane-ground contact duration) were extracted. Using bathroom scales, training aimed to take at least 10% body weight support through the cane.ResultsBefore training, the average peak BWS was 7.2 ± 2.5% of total body weight. Following 10 min of training, there was a significant increase in average peak BWS by 28%, average BWS by 25%, and BWS impulse by 54% (p < 0.05). However, individual BWS responses to training were variable. Duration of cane placement increased by 22% after training (p = 0.02). Timing of peak BWS through the cane occurred at 51% of contact phase before training, and at 53% after training (p = 0.05).SignificanceA short training session can increase the transfer of body weight through a walking cane. However, more sophisticated feedback may be needed to achieve target levels of BWS.     

Evaluation of the anterolateral ligament of the knee by magnetic resonance imaging in patients with chronic anterior cruciate ligament rupture

ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to evaluate the visibility of the anterolateral ligament (ALL) by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in patients with chronic anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture.Materials and methodsThis retrospective case – control study compared 1.5 - T MRI scans for 50 patients with a chronic ACL rupture with those of a control group of 50 patients with an intact ACL. The ALL was evaluated in three portions: femoral, meniscal, and tibial. The status of each portion was classified as visualized or non-visualized. Two radiologists separately reviewed all the MRI scans to evaluate interobserver reliability.ResultsAt least one portion of the ALL was visualized in 100% of the control group and 72% of the chronic ACL rupture group. All three portions of the ALL were identified in 72% of the control group but only 10% of the chronic ACL rupture group. In both groups, the most commonly visualized portion was the meniscal portion and the least visualized was the tibial portion. In 18% of the chronic ACL rupture group, no portion of the ALL was visualized.ConclusionsThe visibility of the ALL of the knee was significantly lower in patients with a chronic ACL rupture than in those with an intact one.     

膝痹宁对膝骨关节炎模型大鼠滑膜纤维化的影响

目的观察膝痹宁对膝骨关节炎(KOA)模型大鼠滑膜纤维化的影响。方法大鼠分为空白组、KOA组、膝痹宁组;KOA组、膝痹宁组造模。分别在膝痹宁灌胃治疗的第1、14、28、42、56天测量各组大鼠的膝关节横径;第56天处死大鼠提取滑膜组织,解剖学观察滑膜组织形态;天狼星红染色评估滑膜组织胶原沉积情况;WB和PCR检测纤维化标记物生长转化因子-β(TGF-β)、Ⅰ型胶原α1链(COL1α1)、金属蛋白酶抑制剂1(TIMP1)的蛋白和基因表达。结果膝痹宁用药14天,28天时,膝关节横径变化并不显著,但膝痹宁用药42天,56天时,膝关节横径则较KOA模型明显减小,差异具有统计学意义(P<0.05);用药56天后对大鼠进行膝关节解剖学观察,KOA大鼠滑膜组织较正常大鼠有一定程度的增厚、充血、欠规则;而上述表现在膝痹宁大鼠有所减轻;天狼星红染色显示膝痹宁用药大鼠滑膜组织胶原沉积较少;纤维化标记指标物TGF-β、COL1α1、TIMP1的基因和蛋白表达在膝痹宁组均较KOA组降低,差异具有统计学意义(P<0.05)。结论膝痹宁对能有效减轻KOA滑膜纤维化,以“温经活血”立法的中药复方对组织纤维化具有良性干预效应。     

关节镜结合放射治疗膝关节色素沉着绒毛结节性滑膜炎

[目的]探讨采用关节镜结合放射治疗膝关节色素沉着绒毛结节性滑膜炎的方法及其临床应用价值。[方法]2000年1月～2003年7月,共收治14例膝关节色素沉着绒毛结节性滑膜炎患者,采用关节镜下常规器械加双极射频进行关节内病变切除,术后弥漫性色素沉着绒毛结节性滑膜炎辅以放疗,13例通过10～45个月的随访,了解患膝活动度、疼痛、肿胀情况。[结果]13例随访患者,术前国际膝关节评分委员会(IKDC)膝关节功能主观评分为(58.7±6.4)分,最后随访时,IKDC膝关节功能主观评分为(86.5±5.7)分。[结论]通过关节镜能完成膝关节色素沉着绒毛结节性滑膜炎滑膜较彻底切除,对弥漫性膝关节色素沉着绒毛结节性滑膜炎辅以术后放疗是一种有效方法。     

前交叉韧带撕裂的MRI诊断

目的:研究膝关节前交叉韧带撕裂的MRI表现。方法:回顾分析30例经关节镜证实的前交叉韧带撕裂MR图像及40例完好的ACL,分析其直接及间接征象的特征。结果:在评价的直接征象中,ACL不连续和ACL走行异常均具有相对高的诊断敏感性、特异性;在评价的间接征象中,后交叉韧带角、Blumensaat角、后交叉韧带指数、半月板后移征、“对吻性”骨挫伤、胫骨前移位等6个征象具有相对高的特异性,后交叉韧带角、Blumensaat角具有较高的敏感性。结论:ACL损伤的直接征象为诊断主要依据,ACL损伤的间接征象具有辅助诊断意义。     

The modified outside-in suture: vertical repair of the anterior horn of the meniscus after decompression of a large meniscal cyst

This article describes a modified suture technique designed for the vertical repair of the anterior horn of the meniscus after arthroscopic decompression of a large meniscal cyst. This procedure comprises of three steps: first, the meniscus was pierced vertically using a suture hook and a No. 0 PDS suture. Second, both ends of the No. 0 PDS on the femoral and tibial surfaces of the meniscus were pulled to the outside of the joint capsule using a spinal needle preloaded with suture material. Finally, a skin incision was made adjacent to the suture materials, and both ends were tied. We recommend this technique not only for the vertical repair of the anterior horn of the meniscus after decompression of large meniscal cyst, but also to repair a longitudinal tear of the meniscus.     

Migration of a Kirschner wire from the greater trochanter to the popliteal fossa: a case report

Migration of Kirschner (K) wires from the upper extremity joints has often been reported, but it is less common from the lower extremities. In this report, we describe an 85-year-old man treated, during a hip replacement procedure, with a K-wire because of a trochanteric fracture; after one year, the K-wire was found in the popliteal fossa. This report illustrates the first case of K-wire migration in the popliteal area of the knee and suggests avoiding the use of free K-wires without any tension banding.     

后十字韧带重建后移植物组织学与胶原表型的变化

目的探讨采用半腱肌腱重建后十字韧带（posterior cruciate ligament,PCL）后移植物的组织学与胶原表型的变化.方法取20只成年新西兰大白兔,实验组18只切除右膝PCL后即刻用双股自体半腱肌腱重建,实验组于术后3、6、52周各处死动物2只,12、26周各处死动物6只,切取半腱肌腱移植物;对照组2只直接切取半腱肌腱和PCL.标本采用HE、甲苯胺蓝以及Ⅰ、Ⅲ型胶原免疫组化染色观察移植物的组织学与胶原表型变化,并与正常半腱肌腱和PCL进行比较.结果常规组织化学染色显示正常半腱肌腱和PCL在细胞构成上有明显的差别,PCL内可见软骨样细胞;重建后的移植物经过坏死、细胞重新长入、胶原形成和重塑阶段,52周时形成的结构类似于正常PCL,但在纤维排列上与正常PCL仍有差异.免疫组织化学染色结果显示正常PCL纤维内部仅有Ⅰ型胶原表达,重建韧带Ⅰ型胶原染色随时间延长从少到多,Ⅲ型胶原染色从多到少,52周时移植物内局部仍有表达.结论采用半腱肌腱重建PCL 52周时移植物和正常PCL结构相似,但仍有差异.     

漂浮膝伴交叉韧带损伤9例的治疗

漂浮膝是指同侧股骨干和胫骨干或相邻的干骺端骨折而导致整个膝关节呈连枷状。骨折多属于高能量损伤，常合并全身多处复合伤，治疗较困难。在漂浮膝中合并膝关节交叉韧带损伤使治疗、康复更困难。复习我科漂浮膝合并交叉韧带损伤9例，现报告如下。     

Effect of a patellar realignment brace on patellofemoral relationships: Evaluation with kinematic MR imaging

The effect of a newly developed patellar realignment brace was evaluated in 21 patellofemoral joints (19 patients) with patellar subluxation (13 joints with lateral subluxation and eight with medial subluxation) by using active-movement, loaded kinematic magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. Sixteen patellofemoral joints (76%) demonstrated a qualitative correction of or improvement in patellar subluxation (ie, centralization of the patella or a decrease in the displacement of the patella) after application of the brace. Four of the five “failures” occurred in patellofemoral joints that had patella alta and/or dysplastic bone anatomy. These results indicate that the patellar realignment brace was able to counteract patellar subluxation in the majority of patellofemoral joints studied, as shown by active-movement, loaded kinematic MR imaging. This brace appears to be useful for conservative treatment of patients with patellofemoral joint pain secondary to patellar malalignment and maltracking.