The medial inclination of the proximal tibia is associated with the external knee adduction moment in advanced varus knee osteoarthritis

Abstract

Purpose: Whether the inclined articular surface on the medial proximal tibia and the external knee adduction moment (KAM) correlate remains unclear. The hypothesis was that a steeper inclined articular surface correlated with a larger KAM in advanced knee osteoarthritis (OA).

Methods: A total of 44 females (non-OA, 9 knees; early OA, 14 knees; advanced OA, 21 knees; mean age, 58 ± 16 years) were examined. Three-dimensional (3D) assessment was used on biplanar long-leg radiographs and 3D bone models using a 3D to 2D image registration technique. The approximation plane in the proximal tibia was determined using the least-square method. The joint moments were mathematically calculated in a gait analysis, applying a motion capture system and force plates. The main evaluation parameters were the femorotibial angle (FTA), the coronal inclination of the approximation plane in the medial proximal tibia (coronal inclination), and internal knee joint moments. The KAM means the external moments balanced with the internal knee abduction moments.

Results: The advanced OA showed a larger internal abduction moment (p = 0.017) at the loading response than the other groups. The larger FTA and steeper coronal inclination correlated with the larger internal abduction moment (FTA, p < 0.001; coronal inclination, p = 0.003) at the loading response.

Conclusions: As the clinical relevance, the association among the coronal inclination of the medial proximal tibia, lower extremity alignment, and KAM is one of the key factors to help better understand the etiology of knee OA.

Level of evidence: III.

Keywords: External knee adduction moment; Gait analysis; Inclined articular surface in the medial compartment of the proximal tibia; Knee osteoarthritis; Varus alignment.