The associations between quadriceps muscle strength, power, and knee joint mechanics in knee osteoarthritis: A cross-sectional study

•Knee osteoarthritis is associated with altered joint mechanics during gait.•Quadriceps strength and power are both associated with joint mechanics.•Power at a range of loads explains more variance in joint mechanics than strength.

BackgroundAbnormal knee joint mechanics have been implicated in the pathogenesis and progression of knee osteoarthritis. Deficits in muscle function (i.e., strength and power) may contribute to abnormal knee joint loading. The associations between quadriceps strength, power and knee joint mechanics remain unclear in knee osteoarthritis.MethodsThree-dimensional motion analysis was used to collect peak knee joint angles and moments during the first 50% of stance phase of gait in 33 participants with knee osteoarthritis. Quadriceps strength and power were assessed using a knee extension machine. Strength was quantified as the one repetition maximum. Power was quantified as the peak power produced at 40–90% of the one repetition maximum.FindingsQuadriceps strength accounted for 15% of the variance in peak knee flexion angle (P = 0.016). Quadriceps power accounted for 20–29% of the variance in peak knee flexion angle (P < 0.05). Quadriceps power at 90% of one repetition maximum accounted for 9% of the variance in peak knee adduction moment (P = 0.05).InterpretationThese data suggest that quadriceps power explains more variance in knee flexion angle and knee adduction moment during gait in knee osteoarthritis than quadriceps strength. Additionally, quadriceps power at multiple loads is associated with knee joint mechanics and therefore should be assessed at a variety of loads. Taken together, these results indicate that quadriceps power may be a potential target for interventions aimed at changing knee joint mechanics in knee osteoarthritis.