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Racial differences in gait mechanics associated with knee osteoarthritis.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Sims, EL; Keefe, FJ; Kraus, VB; Guilak, F; Queen, RM; Schmitt, D
Published in: Aging Clin Exp Res
December 2009

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: This study examines racial differences in gait mechanics in persons with knee osteoarthritis and the influence of anthropometrics, educational level, radiographic disease severity (rOA), and self-report measures of pain and disability on racial differences in gait. METHODS: One hundred seventy five (64 black and 111 white) adults with radiographic knee OA were tested. 3-D kinematic and kinetic data were collected while subjects walked at two self-selected speeds (normal and fast). Anthropometric data, radiographic level of OA, and self-report measures of pain and disability were also collected. Gait patterns were compared across groups and within groups. RESULTS: Black and white subjects did not differ significantly in radiographic OA. However, blacks walked significantly more slowly when asked to walk fast. At the normal speed, blacks had a smaller knee range of motion and loading rate than whites. Blacks also took longer to reach their peak maximum ground reaction force than whites. Within black subjects variations in gait mechanics were primarily explained by BMI, rOA, selfreported psychological disability, and pain self-efficacy. In white subjects, variations in gait mechanics were primarily explained by weight, age, velocity, psychological disability, and self-efficacy. CONCLUSIONS: Blacks in this study had a pattern of gait mechanics generally associated with high levels of osteoarthritis, though they did not differ significantly in rOA from whites. The variability in gait patterns exhibited by blacks was most strongly related to variance in walking speed, anthropometrics, and perceived physical ability. Taken together, these results suggest that race is an important factor that must be considered in the treatment and study of osteoarthritis.

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Published In

Aging Clin Exp Res

DOI

ISSN

1594-0667

Publication Date

December 2009

Volume

21

Issue

6

Start / End Page

463 / 469

Location

Germany

Related Subject Headings

  • White People
  • Severity of Illness Index
  • Self Concept
  • Range of Motion, Articular
  • Osteoarthritis, Knee
  • Middle Aged
  • Male
  • Knee Joint
  • Humans
  • Geriatrics
 

Citation

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Sims, E. L., Keefe, F. J., Kraus, V. B., Guilak, F., Queen, R. M., & Schmitt, D. (2009). Racial differences in gait mechanics associated with knee osteoarthritis. Aging Clin Exp Res, 21(6), 463–469. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03327442
Sims, Ershela L., Francis J. Keefe, Virginia B. Kraus, Farshid Guilak, Robin M. Queen, and Daniel Schmitt. “Racial differences in gait mechanics associated with knee osteoarthritis.Aging Clin Exp Res 21, no. 6 (December 2009): 463–69. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03327442.
Sims EL, Keefe FJ, Kraus VB, Guilak F, Queen RM, Schmitt D. Racial differences in gait mechanics associated with knee osteoarthritis. Aging Clin Exp Res. 2009 Dec;21(6):463–9.
Sims, Ershela L., et al. “Racial differences in gait mechanics associated with knee osteoarthritis.Aging Clin Exp Res, vol. 21, no. 6, Dec. 2009, pp. 463–69. Pubmed, doi:10.1007/BF03327442.
Sims EL, Keefe FJ, Kraus VB, Guilak F, Queen RM, Schmitt D. Racial differences in gait mechanics associated with knee osteoarthritis. Aging Clin Exp Res. 2009 Dec;21(6):463–469.
Journal cover image

Published In

Aging Clin Exp Res

DOI

ISSN

1594-0667

Publication Date

December 2009

Volume

21

Issue

6

Start / End Page

463 / 469

Location

Germany

Related Subject Headings

  • White People
  • Severity of Illness Index
  • Self Concept
  • Range of Motion, Articular
  • Osteoarthritis, Knee
  • Middle Aged
  • Male
  • Knee Joint
  • Humans
  • Geriatrics