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Background. Increasing evidence highlights potential associations between varus thrust and health domains associated with knee osteoarthritis (OA). Objective. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between varus thrust and 2 subcategories--'pain and stiffness' and 'activities of daily living (ADI.)'--of the Japanese Knee Osteoarthritis Measure (JKOM). Design. This was a cross-sectional study. Methods. In total, 296 outpatients with knee OA visiting orthopedic clinics were enrolled. The inclusion criteria were age [greater than or equal to]50 years, medial knee OA and Kellgren-Lawrence (K/L) grade [greater than or equal to] 1 in one or both knees, and the ability to walk independently. Standard posterior-anterior knee radiographs were measured for vims alignment. Participants were video recorded while walking and were evaluated for the presence or absence of varus thrust. Pain and stiffness of the knee joint and ADL were evaluated using the JKOM. Multivariate regressions (outcomes: pain and stiffness and ADL; predictor variable: varus thrust) were performed. Results. Varus thrust was present in 46 (16.2%) of 284 patients. Multivariate regression analyses demonstrated that varus thrust is independently associated with pain and stiffness, adjusted for age, sex, body mass index, K/L grade, and varus alignment ([beta] = 17, P =.005). However, the association between varus thrust and ADL was not significant ([beta]=.11, P =.058). Based on sensitivity analyses, including participants of K/I. grade 1 had little influence on this analysis. Limitations. Only 16.2% of participants had a varus thrust. Moreover, a cause-effect relationship between varus thrust and pain and stiffness remains unknown due to the crosssectional design of this study. Conclusions. Varus thrust was associated with pain and stiffness in patients with medial knee OA. However, the association between varus thrust and ADL did not reach significance., Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common joint disease and an important cause of pain and disability among older adults. (1,2) In a 2009 study by Yoshimura et al, (3) [...]

To evaluate the clinical impact in knee osteoarthritis (OA) of coexisting patellofemoral (PF) joint OA (PFOA) in Japanese patients with medial tibiofemoral (TF) joint OA (TFOA). Patients with medial knee OA (n = 143) were enrolled. The radiographic severity of the TF and PF joints, anatomic axis angle of the TF joint, patellar alignment, trochlear morphology, patellar height, and passive range of motion (ROM) of the painful knee were evaluated. Additionally, the Japanese Knee Osteoarthritis Measure (JKOM) was used to investigate the association between the presence of PFOA and clinical symptoms. PFOA was present in 98 of 143 patients (68.5%) with medial knee OA. Quantile regression analysis revealed that coexisting PFOA was associated with the pain‐related subcategory of the JKOM. Furthermore, multiple logistic regression analysis showed that coexisting PFOA was associated with higher odds of reporting knee pain on using stairs while ascending (odds ratio [OR] 4.81 [95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.73, 14.3]) and descending (OR 3.86 [95% CI 1.44, 10.8]). A more varus knee alignment and lower knee flexion ROM, which are features of patients with coexisting PFOA, were associated with knee pain while ascending/descending stairs. However, patellar alignment, trochlear morphology, and patellar height were not significantly associated with knee pain. PFOA coexisting with medial knee OA was associated with worse clinical symptoms, particularly while ascending/descending stairs, although patellar alignment did not contribute to reporting knee pain. Further studies that include evaluation of the PF joint are warranted to develop a basis for an optimal intervention based on compartmental involvement.

The aim of the study was to investigate the difference in response to a motor imagery task between individuals with and without painful temporomandibular disorders (TMDs). The participants were 24 adults with and without TMD (TMD and control group, resp.). A set of photographic images of the profile view of a person’s head and neck and a hand and a foot were presented in a random order. The set consisted of six different orientations with rotations of each image at 0, 60, 120, 180, 240, and 300 degrees and included left and right representations. The participants were required to view the image and make a decision as to whether it was a left or a right side presented, that is, mental rotation (MR) task. Data were collected on 48 tasks (including left and right) at each orientation for each body part. Reaction times (RTs) for correct answers and accuracy in making the left or right judgements were recorded. The RT was slower in the TMD group than in the control group. The RT for the profile image was slower than those for the hand and foot images. For images that were 180 degrees, the RT was slower and the accuracy was lower than those for five of the other image orientations. The judgements made about the 180-degree rotated image were more inaccurate compared to images of all other orientations among all types of stimuli.