Assessment of passive knee stiffness and viscosity in individuals with spinal cord injury using pendulum test |
| |
Authors: | Mahmoud Joghtaei Amir Massoud Arab Hamed Hashemi-Nasl Mohammad Taghi Joghataei Mohammad Osman Tokhi |
| |
Institution: | 1.Department of Automatic Control and Systems Engineering, University of Sheffield, UK;2.Department of Physical Therapy, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran;3.Department of Anatomy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran;4.Department of Anatomy, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran |
| |
Abstract: | ObjectiveStiffness and viscosity represent passive resistances to joint motion related with the structural properties of the joint tissue and of the musculotendinous complex. Both parameters can be affected in patients with spinal cord injury (SCI). The purpose of this study was to measure passive knee stiffness and viscosity in patients with SCI with paraplegia and healthy subjects using Wartenberg pendulum test.DesignNon-experimental, cross-sectional, case–control design.SettingAn outpatient physical therapy clinic, University of social welfare and Rehabilitation Science, Iran.PatientsA sample of convenience sample of 30 subjects participated in the study. Subjects were categorized into two groups: individuals with paraplegic SCI (n = 15, age: 34.60 ± 9.18 years) and 15 able-bodied individuals as control group (n = 15, age: 30.66 ± 11.13 years).InterventionsNot applicable.Main measuresPassive pendulum test of Wartenberg was used to measure passive viscous-elastic parameters of the knee (stiffness, viscosity) in all subjects.ResultsStatistical analysis (independent t-test) revealed significant difference in the joint stiffness between healthy subjects and those with paraplegic SCI (P = 0.01). However, no significant difference was found in the viscosity between two groups (P = 0.17). Except for first peak flexion angle, all other displacement kinematic parameters exhibited no statistically significant difference between normal subjects and subjects with SCI.ConclusionsPatients with SCI have significantly greater joint stiffness compared to able-bodied subjects. |
| |
Keywords: | Spinal cord injury Paraplegia Stiffness Viscosity Passive pendulum test Viscous-elastic |
|
|