Factors that predict poor physical functioning in women living with knee osteoarthritis: a one-year follow up
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1590/Keywords:
Muscle Strength, Gait, Aged, Functional StatusAbstract
Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is ranked as the
11th highest contributor to disability globally. We must
improve our understanding of its related factors with
poor physical functioning to create opportunities for more
efficient treatment. This study aimed to find the factors
that predict poor physical functioning over one year in
women with knee osteoarthritis. A total of 36 communityrecruited
women with knee OA underwent baseline and
one-year biomechanics and physical functioning assessment.
Physical function was assessed by the Western Ontario
and McMaster Universities and Short Physical Performance
Battery. Isometric torque and rate of torque development
(RTD) of the knee extensors and gait kinematic were chosen
as factors biomechanics. The paired test and area of the
receiver operating characteristic curve were used in the
statistical analyses. The results showed that gait speed
and RTD at 30 ms and RTD at 200 ms configured the
variables that better predicted poor functioning in one year.
Their discriminatory thresholds equal 1.07 ms and 2.06 and
1.72 Nm.s -1Kg- 1, respectively. Factors in women with knee
osteoarthritis at great risk of poor function at a one-year
follow-up included rapidly force generated and gait speed.
Finding these factors provides thresholds for rehabilitation
work to prevent or minimize functional limitations
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Copyright (c) 2026 Deborah Hebling Spinoso, Nise Ribeiro Marques, Patricia de Aguiar Yamada, Marcelo Tavella Navega
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