Weight loss changed gait kinematics in individuals with obesity and knee pain.
Jing-Sheng Li, Tsung-Yuan Tsai, Margaret M Clancy and 3 others
PMID 30611976WHAT IT FOUND
Weight loss changed knee motion during walking, but the change was linked to weight loss, not pain relief.
Patients lost an average of 10.4% of body weight. Greater weight loss predicted more kinematic change, yet pain reduction did not correlate with how the knee moved.
Key findings
01Participants lost an average of 10.4% of baseline body weight, and knee pain decreased significantly over one year.
02Greater weight loss was associated with increased range of knee flexion-extension and adduction-abduction during gait.
03Changes in knee kinematics were associated with weight loss but were not significantly associated with changes in knee pain.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The sample size was very small (12 participants), limiting statistical power and generalizability. There was no control group; participants self-selected or were assigned to surgery or medical management, leading to wide variations in weight loss. The study did not measure muscle activity or ground reaction forces, so joint loads could not be calculated. Kinematics were measured on a treadmill, which may not fully represent overground walking. Participants had a BMI of 35 or higher, so results may not apply to those with lower obesity levels.
Declared interests
The study was supported by the National Institutes of Health. No other conflicts of interest were reported in the provided text.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that changing knee mechanics will reduce pain. The study found that kinematic changes correlated with weight loss, but not with pain reduction, so these are separate outcomes.