Affiliations: [a] Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Department, Adnan Menderes University Medical School, Aydin, Turkey | [b] Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Department, Mersin State Hospital, Adana, Turkey
Correspondence:
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Corresponding author: Gulnur Tasci Bozbas, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Department, Adnan Menderes University Medical School, Aydin, Turkey. Tel.: +90 505 8313224; E-mail:gulnurtb@yahoo.com
Abstract: OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of
primary knee osteoarthritis on the risk of falling. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred participants (50 with knee
osteoarthritis and 50 healthy controls) were included in this study. Primary
knee osteoarthritis was diagnosed according to the American College of
Rheumatology (ACR) criteria. Patients who were grade 2 or 3 by
Kellgren-Lawrence criteria according to weight-bearing knee radiographs were
included in this study. The risk of falling was evaluated by the interactive
balance and coordination device both in the osteoarthritis and control groups. The
functional status and pain were evaluated with respectively Lequesne Index
and Visual Analogue Scale. RESULTS: No statistically significant differences were found
between the group of primary knee osteoarthritis and control in terms of
age, BMI, and gender. The median falling index was 52 in the group with knee OA,
whereas it was 31 in the control group. It was determined that primary knee
osteoarthritis increased the risk of falling significantly and grade 3
primary knee osteoarthritis was statistically significantly higher than
grade 2 (p < 0.001). The pain and functional status did not appear to be
effective on the risk of falling in those patients (p > 0.05). DISCUSSION: Falling is among the important causes of mortality and
morbidity in advanced age. Therefore, assessment of risk factors for falling
and the strategies to prevent it are important. Primary knee osteoarthritis
is one of the risk factors associated with falling. Therefore, medical
approaches, proprioception training, balance-gait training, muscle
strengthening exercises, and arrangements to prevent domestic injurious
falling should be planned to reduce the risk of falling in the presence of
primary knee osteoarthritis.
Keywords: Knee osteoarthritis, proprioception, risk of falling, gonarthrosis
