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Modifiable Factors Associated with Knee Abduction During Weight-Bearing Activities : A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Cronström, Anna LU ; Creaby, Mark W ; ÄLMQVIST NAE, JENNY LU orcid and Ageberg, Eva LU orcid (2016) In Sports Medicine 46(11). p.1647-1662
Abstract

BACKGROUND: Increased knee abduction angle during activity is suggested to be a risk factor for sustaining an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury or developing patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS). Knowledge of the modifiable mechanisms that are associated with increased knee abduction will aid in the appropriate design of preventive and rehabilitative strategies for these injuries.

OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to systematically review modifiable mechanisms contributing to increased knee abduction in healthy people and in individuals with an ACL injury or PFPS.

METHODS: We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. We... (More)

BACKGROUND: Increased knee abduction angle during activity is suggested to be a risk factor for sustaining an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury or developing patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS). Knowledge of the modifiable mechanisms that are associated with increased knee abduction will aid in the appropriate design of preventive and rehabilitative strategies for these injuries.

OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to systematically review modifiable mechanisms contributing to increased knee abduction in healthy people and in individuals with an ACL injury or PFPS.

METHODS: We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. We searched the databases MEDLINE, CINAHL, and Embase until September 2015. Inclusion criteria were studies in healthy individuals and/or those with ACL injury or PFPS reporting (1) muscle strength, muscle activation, proprioception, and/or range of motion (ROM) and (2) knee abduction angle assessed with either motion analysis or visual observation during weight-bearing activity.

RESULTS: In total, 33 articles were included. Reduced trunk strength, reduced gluteus maximus amplitude, decreased ankle ROM, and increased hip external rotation ROM were moderately associated with increased knee abduction angle (r -0.34 or higher, standardized difference in means (SDM) greater than -0.39, p < 0.05, articles n = 3, total sample size n = 101-114) in healthy individuals. Decreased strength of hip abductors, external rotators, and extensors and knee flexors were at most weakly associated with increased knee abduction angle (r ≤ 0.21, p = 0.013-0.426, articles n = 2-9, total sample size n = 80-311). Too few articles included patients with knee injury to be included in any meta-analysis.

CONCLUSION: The associations identified in this review indicate that investigation of strengthening of the trunk muscles, and improvement of gluteus maximus activation and ankle ROM to change knee kinematics is merited. Studies on modifiable factors associated with increased knee abduction angle in people with knee injury are needed.

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Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Sports Medicine
volume
46
issue
11
pages
1647 - 1662
publisher
Springer
external identifiers
  • pmid:27048463
  • scopus:84962754652
  • wos:000388830900006
ISSN
0112-1642
DOI
10.1007/s40279-016-0519-8
project
Movement quality in people with knee injury: validity of visual rating of and contributing senorimotor factors for postural orientation errors
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
815fd7a8-eb7d-42a8-bd64-d8f1f167fbd7
date added to LUP
2016-04-28 13:43:34
date last changed
2024-04-18 22:42:10
@article{815fd7a8-eb7d-42a8-bd64-d8f1f167fbd7,
  abstract     = {{<p>BACKGROUND: Increased knee abduction angle during activity is suggested to be a risk factor for sustaining an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury or developing patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS). Knowledge of the modifiable mechanisms that are associated with increased knee abduction will aid in the appropriate design of preventive and rehabilitative strategies for these injuries.</p><p>OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to systematically review modifiable mechanisms contributing to increased knee abduction in healthy people and in individuals with an ACL injury or PFPS.</p><p>METHODS: We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. We searched the databases MEDLINE, CINAHL, and Embase until September 2015. Inclusion criteria were studies in healthy individuals and/or those with ACL injury or PFPS reporting (1) muscle strength, muscle activation, proprioception, and/or range of motion (ROM) and (2) knee abduction angle assessed with either motion analysis or visual observation during weight-bearing activity.</p><p>RESULTS: In total, 33 articles were included. Reduced trunk strength, reduced gluteus maximus amplitude, decreased ankle ROM, and increased hip external rotation ROM were moderately associated with increased knee abduction angle (r -0.34 or higher, standardized difference in means (SDM) greater than -0.39, p &lt; 0.05, articles n = 3, total sample size n = 101-114) in healthy individuals. Decreased strength of hip abductors, external rotators, and extensors and knee flexors were at most weakly associated with increased knee abduction angle (r ≤ 0.21, p = 0.013-0.426, articles n = 2-9, total sample size n = 80-311). Too few articles included patients with knee injury to be included in any meta-analysis.</p><p>CONCLUSION: The associations identified in this review indicate that investigation of strengthening of the trunk muscles, and improvement of gluteus maximus activation and ankle ROM to change knee kinematics is merited. Studies on modifiable factors associated with increased knee abduction angle in people with knee injury are needed.</p>}},
  author       = {{Cronström, Anna and Creaby, Mark W and ÄLMQVIST NAE, JENNY and Ageberg, Eva}},
  issn         = {{0112-1642}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{11}},
  pages        = {{1647--1662}},
  publisher    = {{Springer}},
  series       = {{Sports Medicine}},
  title        = {{Modifiable Factors Associated with Knee Abduction During Weight-Bearing Activities : A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s40279-016-0519-8}},
  doi          = {{10.1007/s40279-016-0519-8}},
  volume       = {{46}},
  year         = {{2016}},
}