Search

Background: Little is known about delivering telehealth from a healthcare provider's perspective., Purpose: To investigate physiotherapists' (PTs) experiences in delivering live online exercise and education for people with knee osteoarthritis (OA)., Methods: This was a qualitative individual interview study with a thematic analysis approach. The interviewees were six PTs delivering 8 weeks of supervised online exercise and education for people with knee OA in secondary public care in Denmark., Results: The three main themes were (1) From hands to words-on the transition from on-site to on-line physiotherapy, (2) Online selection-on the perceived barriers to managing a telehealth service and (3) Therapeutic relation under pressure-on the contextual difficulties in building relationships and alliances in online classes., Conclusion: The PTs in this study seemed to gradually come to terms with delivering first-line OA care online, appreciating advantages and new possibilities. PTs' initial apprehension towards this new form of physiotherapy service may be rooted in the traditional conception of physiotherapy as a predominantly manual profession but also in a lack of formal training in physiotherapy telehealth services. This study underlines the growing need for better and more formalised training in physiotherapy telehealth services to meet growing demands., (© 2024 The Author(s). Musculoskeletal Care published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: The high incidence of knee injuries in football/handball challenges effective prevention. Identifying tangible and modifiable factors associated with a knee injury may innovate preventive actions. Engaging key stakeholders can reveal crucial insights that could improve knee injury prevention in football/handball., Objective: To investigate football/handball stakeholders' perspectives on reasons for acute and severe knee injuries to generate a conceptual model on important factors associated with knee injuries in football/handball., Methods: Mixed-method participatory Group Concept Mapping was applied to collect statements from football/handball stakeholders (players/coaches/healthcare staff/researchers) on the question, ' What may explain why some players sustain a knee injury?' . Participants rated the importance and feasibility of screening for each statement. Multidimensional scaling and hierarchical cluster analysis produced a cluster map, forming the basis for developing a final conceptual model., Results: Stakeholders (n=37) generated and sorted 100 statements. Cluster analysis followed by cluster map validation yielded seven themes: (1) the player's physical and motor skill profile, (2) preparation and training, (3) footwear and playing surface, (4) the sport's impact on the risk of injury, (5) mental and physical fatigue, (6) history of injury and 7) genetics and context. A final conceptual model illustrating factors associated with knee injuries in football/handball was developed. Forty-six statements were identified as both important and feasible to screen for., Conclusions: Stakeholders' perspectives on knee injuries in football/handball revealed a complex interplay of factors. We developed a conceptual model fostering stakeholder dialogue for enhanced prevention. Key among its themes is 'preparation and training'., Competing Interests: MH is on the scientific advisory board of the Thuasne group. All other authors (RC, TA, MKZ, KT, JB, PMH, EB, EEW) have no conflicts of interests., (Copyright © Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2024. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Objective: To examine the benefits and harms of structured outdoor physical activity (PA) for people living with one or more somatic or mental diseases., Methods: We identified articles from inception until Marts 2023 in MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL and CENTRAL and citation tracking in Web of Science. We included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and observational studies examining structured outdoor PA reporting physical function, health-related quality of life (HRQOL), pain or mental outcomes. We used random-effect meta-analyses and investigated heterogeneity in subgroups, sensitivity and meta-regression analyses. Observational studies and studies with insufficient data were summarized narratively. Certainty of evidence was assessed with GRADE., Results: From 4098 hits, 20 studies (19 RCTs and 1 cohort) were included (n: 1759 participants). Studies varied in type of disease and intervention. End of intervention results suggested a small effect on HRQOL (k = 10, SMD = 0.45, 95%CI: 0.19 to 0.71) and physical function (k = 14, SMD = 0.39, 95%CI: 0.13 to 0.64), while effects were moderate on mental outcomes (k = 13, SMD = -0.52, 95%CI: -0.82 to -0.23) favoring the outdoor intervention over comparators (no intervention, usual care, indoor PA or outdoor intervention without exercise). We were not able to conclude on outdoor interventions' effect on pain. Four studies reported adverse events including non-serious (pain, falls, fatigue) and serious (hospitalization, pneumonia). Certainty of evidence was overall very low., Conclusion: Structured outdoor PA may improve HRQOL and physical function, as well as mental health outcomes. The very low certainty of evidence calls for high quality RCTs to determine benefits and harms of structured outdoor PA., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: The authors declared the following potential conflict of interest: STS is co-founder of GLA:D®, a not-for profit initiative hosted at University of Southern Denmark aimed at implementing clinical guidelines for osteoarthritis in clinical practice. Furthermore, he has received personal fees from Munksgaard, TrustMe-Ed, and Nestlé Health Science, outside the work. AB has received personal fees from PhisioVit S.r.l. JRA, HB, PMH, DVP and LHT have no conflicts to declare., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background and Aims: Anterior quadratus lumborum block is a truncal block, applied in close proximity to the lumbar plexus, potentially causing lower limb weakness. This trial aimed to evaluate whether a unilateral anterior quadratus lumborum block caused quadriceps muscle weakness compared with placebo., Methods: In this randomized, non-inferiority, triple-blind trial, 20 healthy volunteers received an active unilateral anterior quadratus lumborum block with 30 mL ropivacaine 0.75% and a placebo block on the contralateral side. Primary outcome was change in maximal quadriceps muscle strength from baseline to 60 min postblock compared with placebo. Secondary outcomes were change in single-leg 6 m timed hop test, change in Timed-Up and Go test, change in mean arterial pressure from baseline to 30 min postblock and dermatomal affection., Results: There was no statistically significant difference in changes in maximal quadriceps muscle strength between active and placebo block; 15.88 N (95% CI -12.19 to +43.94), p non-inf =0.003, indicating non-inferiority. Timed-Up and Go test was performed significantly faster 60 min postblock; -0.23 s (95% CI -0.38 to -0.08, p=0.005). Mean change in mean arterial pressure from baseline to 30 min postblock was 4.25 mm Hg (95% CI 0.24 to 8.26, p=0.04). Dermatome testing revealed an affection primarily of the lower abdomen (Th10-L1) with the active block., Conclusion: In this randomized controlled trial including healthy volunteers a unilateral anterior quadratus lumborum block does not cause statistical or clinical significant motor block of the quadriceps muscle compared with placebo. When administered correctly, the block can be used for procedures where early postoperative mobilization is essential., Trial Registration Number: NCT05023343., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© American Society of Regional Anesthesia & Pain Medicine 2024. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Background: Exercise is recommended as first-line treatment for patients with hip osteoarthritis (OA). However, randomized controlled trials providing evidence for the optimal exercise type are lacking., Objective: To investigate whether progressive resistance training (PRT) is superior to neuromuscular exercise (NEMEX) for improving functional performance in patients with hip OA., Design: Multicenter, cluster-randomized, controlled, parallel-group, assessor-blinded, superiority trial. (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT04714047)., Setting: Hospitals and physiotherapy clinics., Participants: 160 participants with clinically diagnosed hip OA were enrolled from 18 January 2021 to 28 April 2023 and randomly assigned to PRT ( n = 82) or NEMEX ( n = 78)., Intervention: Twelve weeks of PRT or NEMEX with 2 supervised 60-minute group sessions each week. The PRT intervention consisted of 5 high-intensity resistance training exercises targeting muscles at the hip and knee joints. The NEMEX intervention included 10 exercises and emphasized sensorimotor control and functional stability., Measurements: The primary outcome was change in the 30-second chair stand test (30s-CST). Key secondary outcomes were changes in scores on the pain and hip-related quality of life (QoL) subscales of the Hip Disability and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (HOOS)., Results: The mean changes from baseline to 12-week follow-up in the 30s-CST were 1.5 (95% CI, 0.9 to 2.1) chair stands with PRT and 1.5 (CI, 0.9 to 2.1) chair stands with NEMEX (difference, 0.0 [CI, -0.8 to 0.8] chair stands). For the HOOS pain subscale, mean changes were 8.6 (CI, 5.3 to 11.8) points with PRT and 9.3 (CI, 5.9 to 12.6) points with NEMEX (difference, -0.7 [CI, -5.3 to 4.0] points). For the HOOS QoL subscale, mean changes were 8.0 (CI, 4.3 to 11.7) points with PRT and 5.7 (CI, 1.9 to 9.5) points with NEMEX (difference, 2.3 [CI, -3.0 to 7.6] points)., Limitation: Participants and physiotherapists were not blinded., Conclusion: In patients with hip OA, PRT is not superior to NEMEX for improving functional performance, hip pain, or hip-related QoL., Primary Funding Source: Independent Research Fund Denmark., Competing Interests: Disclosures: Disclosures can be viewed at www.acponline.org/authors/icmje/ConflictOfInterestForms.do?msNum=M23-3225.

Objective: To investigate the effects of adding strength training to neuromuscular control exercises on thigh tissue composition and muscle properties in people with radiographic-symptomatic knee osteoarthritis (KOA)., Methods: In this exploratory secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial, using a complete-case approach, participants performed 12 weeks of twice-weekly neuromuscular control exercise and patient education (NEMEX, n = 34) or NEMEX plus quadriceps strength training (NEMEX+ST, n = 29). Outcomes were MRI-measured inter- and intramuscular adipose tissue (InterMAT, IntraMAT), quadriceps muscle cross-sectional area (CSA), knee-extensor strength, specific strength (strength/lean CSA) and 30 s chair-stands. Between-group effects were compared using a mixed model analysis of variance., Results: At 12 weeks, responses to NEMEX+ST overlapped with NEMEX for all outcomes. Both groups reduced InterMAT (NEMEX+ST=25 %, NEMEX=21 %); between-group difference: 0.8cm 2 (95 % CI: -0.1, 1.7). NEMEX+ST decreased IntraMAT (2 %) and NEMEX increased IntraMAT (4 %); between-group difference 0.1 %-points (-0.3, 0.5). Both groups increased quadriceps CSA and lean CSA (CSA minus IntraMAT), improved knee-extensor strength and specific strength, and improved chair-stand performance with a trend towards greater effects in NEMEX+ST., Conclusion: Adding strength training to 12 weeks of neuromuscular control exercises provided largely similar effects to neuromuscular control exercises alone in decreasing InterMAT and IntraMAT, in improving knee-extensor strength, CSA and in improving performance-based function in KOA persons, with a trend towards greater effects with additional strength training. Notably, both groups substantially reduced InterMAT and improved specific strength (an index of muscle quality). Our hypothesis-generating work warrants exploration of the roles played by InterMAT and IntraMAT in exercise effects in KOA., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Dr. Skou is associate editor of the Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy, has received personal fees from Munksgaard, TrustMe-Ed, and Nestlé Health Science, outside the submitted work, and is co-founder of GLA:D®, a not-for profit initiative hosted at University of Southern Denmark aimed at implementing clinical guidelines for osteoarthritis in clinical practice. Dr. Bandholm has received speaker's honoraria for talks or expert testimony on the efficacy of exercise therapy to enhance recovery after surgery at meetings or symposia held by biomedical companies (Zimmer Biomet and Novartis). He is an editorial board member with British Journal of Sports Medicine. Dr. Wirth is a part time employee and co-owner of Chondrometrics GmbH. Wisser is an employee of Chondrometrics GmbH. Dr. Kemnitz is an employee of Siemens. Dr. Eckstein is CEO/CMO and co-owner of Chondrometrics GmbH, and he has provided consulting services to Merck KGaA, Samumed, Tissuegene, Servier, Galapagos and Roche. He also has received speaker honoraria from Medtronic., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Objectives: To better comprehend the initial injury experience and care requirements of knee-injured individuals, as well as healthcare professionals' interactions with early care., Design: Qualitative interviews., Setting: Public healthcare in Denmark., Participants: Ten individuals (6 women) with major knee injuries (6 anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and meniscal tears, 2 isolated ACL tears, 1 isolated meniscal tear, 1 patella dislocation), aged 16-33 years (median 19 years), 1-26 months post-injury (median 3 months). Thirteen HCPs (5 physiotherapists, 5 orthopedic surgeons, 3 general practitioners)., Main Outcome Measure: Semi-structured individual and focus group interviews, transcribed verbatim and with latent thematic analysis., Results: The three main themes were: 1) Emotional struggles in solitude - knee-injured individuals dealing with emotions alone due to limited HCP resources for emotional support. 2) Blurry beginning - knee-injured individuals finding initial care frustrating, a sentiment shared by HCPs. 3) A journey with no map - knee-injured individuals holding varied outcome expectations, while HCPs hesitate to discuss long-term knee health., Conclusion: Early care for knee-injured individuals is filled with worries and unmet emotional and information support needs. HCPs need more support and training to deliver timely and appropriate care., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Kristian Thorborg is a deputy editor and Merete Møller and Jackie L. Whittaker are associate editors of the British Journal of Sports Medicine (BJSM). Jackie L. Whittaker is an editor with the Journal of Orthopedic and Sports Physical Therapy (JOSPT). Ewa M. Roos is a deputy editor of Osteoarthritis and Cartilage, developer of Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score and several other freely available patient-reported outcomes, and co-founder of Good Life with Osteoarthritis from Denmark (GLA:D®). Søren T. Skou is co-founder of GLA:D®, associate editor of the JOSPT and has received grants from the Lundbeck Foundation and personal fees from Munksgaard, TrustMe-Ed and Nestlé Health Science, outside the submitted work., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To compare the 3 and 12-month changes on pain, function and quality of life between online and onsite delivery of Good Life with Osteoarthritis in Denmark (GLA:D ® ) in individuals with knee osteoarthritis (OA)., Design: Non-inferior comparison of individuals with knee OA receiving physiotherapist-supervised online (TeleGLA:D) or onsite (GLA:D®) (12 exercise and 2 education sessions). The primary outcome was the baseline-to-3-month change on KOOS-12 summary score. Secondary outcomes were changes in KOOS-12 subscales pain, function and quality of life and pain intensity (Visual Analog Scale (VAS 0-100)) at 3 and 12 months; 40 m fast-paced walk and 30 s chair-stand at 3 months. Using mixed linear regressions, comparisons were adjusted for age, sex, BMI, comorbidities and number of knees and hips with OA., Results: Over a 1-year period (May 2020-May 2021), we included data from 3789 participants (3701 GLA:D®; 88 TeleGLA:D). At 3 months, TeleGLA:D showed non-inferior change-scores to GLA:D® on KOOS-12 summary score; adjusted mean difference (90% Confidence Intervals (CI)) -2.40 (-5.55 to 0.75). For secondary outcomes, there was a statistically significant difference in change-scores, favouring TeleGLA:D in gait speed; adjusted mean difference (90%CI) 0.23 m/s (0.18-0.27). TeleGLA:D remained non-inferior to GLA:D® at 12 months., Conclusions: Online delivery of physiotherapist-supervised neuromuscular exercise and education for individuals with knee OA may be non-inferior to traditional onsite delivery in reducing pain and improving function and quality of life. The wide confidence intervals, baseline imbalance, loss to follow-up and the non-randomized design highlight the need for a confirmatory randomized controlled trial., (© 2023 The Authors. Musculoskeletal Care published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Objective: To explore what it means for patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA) to engage in online delivered exercise and education., Method: We combined participant observations and focus group interviews with knee OA patients who engaged in an 8-week program (12 exercise sessions and 2 education sessions) delivered online. Data underwent a three-level phenomenological-hermeneutic interpretation inspired by Ricoeur's narrative and interpretation theory., Results: We performed 17 participant observations during online group-based exercise sessions with twenty individuals with knee OA (12 females), median age 71 years (range: 48 to 81), and five focus group interviews with fifteen of the individuals. The following three themes emerged from the data analysis: 1. Exercise engagement portrays an experience of ownership of the exercise-based treatment, leading to better function and well-being and raising hope for the future 2. A good start but only halfway supported portrays perceived well-guided in performing knee OA exercise, however also some unmet support needs in the online format, and 3. Beneficial peer companionship with online constraints portrays a socially engaging peer forum that, at times, was limited by the online format., Conclusions: This phenomenological-hermeneutic study reflects that supervised online exercise and education facilitate identity mobility, potentially increasing self-efficacy to adopt weekly exercise habits in patients with knee OA. However, the program may benefit from enabling a more interactive approach between peer participants and combining the online format with physical group classes. Moreover, further individualization and focus on a gradual approach toward self-management are encouraged., Competing Interests: Dr. Skou is co-founder of Good Life with Osteoarthritis in Denmark (GLA:D®), a not-for profit initiative hosted at University of Southern Denmark aimed at implementing clinical guidelines for osteoarthritis in clinical practice. Furthermore, he is associate editor of the Journal of Orthopedic & Sports Physical Therapy and has received personal fees from Munksgaard, TrustMe-ED and Nestlé Health Science, all of which are outside the submitted work. Dr. Clausen is a board member of Danish Interdisciplinary Rheumatology Forum (DIRF). DIRF is a not-for profit national network for health professionals, within the rheumatic field., (© 2023 The Authors.)

Background and Purpose: Hip precautions are routinely prescribed to patients with osteoarthritis to decrease dislocation rates after total hip arthroplasty (THA) using a posterior approach. However, recommendations have been based on very low certainty of evidence. We updated the evidence on the influence of hip precautions on early recovery following THA by this systematic review., Materials and Methods: We performed systematic searches for randomized controlled trials (RCT) and non-randomized (NRS) studies in MEDLINE, Embase, PEDro, and CINAHL published from 2016 to July 2022. 2 reviewers independently included studies comparing postoperative precautions with minimal or no precautions, extracted data, and assessed the risk of bias. Random effects meta-analyses were used to synthesize the results. The certainty of the evidence was rated by the Grading of Recommendations Assessment and Evaluation approach. The critical outcome was the risk of hip dislocations within 3 months of surgery. Other outcomes were long-term risk of dislocation and reoperation, self-reported and performance-based assessment of function, quality of life, pain, and time to return to work., Results: 4 RCTs and 5 NRSs, including 8,835 participants, were included. There may be no or negligible difference in early hip dislocations (RCTs: risk ratio [RR] 1.8, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.6-5.2; NRS: RR 0.9, CI 0.3-2.5). Certainty in the evidence was low for RCTs and very low for NRSs. Finally, precautions may reduce the performance-based assessment of function slightly, but the evidence was very uncertain. For all other outcomes, no differences were found (moderate to very low certainty evidence)., Conclusion: The current evidence does not support routinely prescribing hip precautions post-surgically for patients undergoing THA to prevent hip dislocations. However, the results might change with high-quality studies.

OBJECTIVE: To summarize the effectiveness of management strategies and rehabilitation approaches for knee joint structural and molecular biomarker outcomes following anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and/or meniscal tear. DESIGN: Intervention systematic review. LITERATURE SEARCH: We searched the MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, CENTRAL, and SPORTDiscus databases from their inception up to November 3, 2021. STUDY SELECTION CRITERIA: We included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) investigating the effectiveness of management strategies or rehabilitation approaches for structural/molecular biomarkers of knee joint health following ACL and/or meniscal tear. DATA SYNTHESIS: We included 5 RCTs (9 papers) with primary ACL tear (n = 365). Two RCTs compared initial management strategies (rehabilitation plus early vs optional delayed ACL surgery), reporting on structural biomarkers (radiographic osteoarthritis, cartilage thickness, meniscal damage) in 5 papers and molecular biomarkers (inflammation, cartilage turnover) in 1 paper. Three RCTs compared different post-ACL reconstruction (ACLR) rehabilitation approaches (high vs low intensity plyometric exercises, accelerated vs nonaccelerated rehabilitation, continuous passive vs active motion), reporting on structural biomarkers (joint space narrowing) in 1 paper and molecular biomarkers (inflammation, cartilage turnover) in 2 papers. RESULTS: There were no differences in structural or molecular biomarkers between post-ACLR rehabilitation approaches. One RCT comparing initial management strategies demonstrated that rehabilitation plus early ACLR was associated with greater patellofemoral cartilage thinning, elevated inflammatory cytokine response, and reduced incidence of medial meniscal damage over 5 years compared to rehabilitation with no/delayed ACLR. CONCLUSION: Very low-certainty evidence suggests that different initial management strategies (rehabilitation plus early vs optional delayed ACL surgery) but not postoperative rehabilitation approaches may influence the incidence of meniscal damage, patellofemoral cartilage loss and cytokine concentrations over 5 years post-ACL tear. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2023;53(4):1-22. Epub: 20 February 2023. doi:10.2519/jospt.2023.11576 .

Objective: Synthesise evidence for effectiveness of rehabilitation interventions following ACL and/or meniscal tear on symptomatic, functional, clinical, psychosocial, quality of life and reinjury outcomes., Design: Overview of systematic reviews with Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation certainty of evidence., Data Sources: MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, SPORTDiscus and Cochrane Library., Eligibility Criteria: Systematic reviews of randomised controlled trials investigating rehabilitation interventions following ACL and/or meniscal tears in young adults., Results: We included 22 systematic reviews (142 trials of mostly men) evaluating ACL-injured individuals and none evaluating isolated meniscal injuries. We synthesised data from 16 reviews evaluating 12 different interventions. Moderate-certainty evidence was observed for: (1) neuromuscular electrical stimulation to improve quadriceps strength; (2) open versus closed kinetic chain exercises to be similarly effective for quadriceps strength and self-reported function; (3) structured home-based versus structured in-person rehabilitation to be similarly effective for quadriceps and hamstring strength and self-reported function; and (4) postoperative knee bracing being ineffective for physical function and laxity. There was low-certainty evidence that: (1) preoperative exercise therapy improves self-reported and physical function postoperatively; (2) cryotherapy reduces pain and analgesic use; (3) psychological interventions improve anxiety/fear; and (4) whole body vibration improves quadriceps strength. There was very low-certainty evidence that: (1) protein-based supplements improve quadriceps size; (2) blood flow restriction training improves quadriceps size; (3) neuromuscular control exercises improve quadriceps and hamstring strength and self-reported function; and (4) continuous passive motion has no effect on range of motion., Conclusion: The general level of evidence for rehabilitation after ACL or meniscal tear was low. Moderate-certainty evidence indicates that several rehabilitation types can improve quadriceps strength, while brace use has no effect on knee function/laxity., Competing Interests: Competing interests: AGC, BP and JLW are Associate Editors of BJSM. KMC is a senior advisor of BJSM. All other authors declare no competing interests., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2022. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Abstract: Holm, PM, Kemnitz, J, Bandholm, T, Wernbom, M, Schrøder, HM, and Skou, ST. Muscle function tests as supportive outcome measures for performance-based and self-reported physical function in patients with knee osteoarthritis: Exploratory analysis of baseline data from a randomized trial. J Strength Cond Res 36(9): 2635-2642, 2022-Uncertainty on the role of muscle function in relation to physical function in knee osteoarthritis (KOA) persists. This study aimed to assess the associations between muscle function and performance-based and self-reported physical function in patients with KOA. Physical function in 80 subjects with symptomatic and radiographic KOA was assessed using 40-m fast-paced walk, 30-second chair stand, 9-step stair climb tests, and the subscale activities of daily living from the Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS-ADL). Measurements of muscle function included leg extension (LE) power, knee extension (KE) torque, and estimated leg press one repetition maximum (LP RM). Associations were investigated using multivariable hierarchical linear regressions adjusted for age, sex, body mass index, self-reported physical activity, and thigh muscle lean area. Leg extension power was significantly associated with 40-m walk, stair climb, and 30-second chair stand, explaining 18, 8, and 3% of additional variance, respectively. Knee extension torque explained 13, 7, 17, and 7% of additional variance in the 40-m walk, stair climb, 30-second chair stand, and KOOS-ADL, respectively. Leg press one repetition maximum explained 11% of additional variance in the 30-second chair stand. In conclusion, LE power was the best explanatory variable for performance on the 40-m walk and stair climb tests, whereas KE torque best explained chair stand performance. Only KE torque was associated with KOOS-ADL. Our results highlight the importance of selecting supportive muscle function tests based on the specific physical function and suggest that other factors may be more important for certain physical function outcomes. Level of significance p < 0.05. Trial identifier: NCT03215602., (Copyright © 2020 National Strength and Conditioning Association.)

Objective: To explore clinicians' attitudes and beliefs about physical activity and exercise therapy as treatment for individuals with knee and/or hip osteoarthritis (OA)., Method: This was a scoping review, mapping available knowledge about the topic derived from qualitative research designs and methods. A comprehensive search of selected databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE; CINAHL; Web of Science) was conducted and data were analysed thematically., Results: Twelve articles met inclusion criteria. Thematic analysis identified three interrelated main themes: 1) Understandings of OA and its trajectory and management; 2) Attitudes to activity and exercise as part of OA management; 3) Clinicians' perceived knowledge of and expertise in OA management. Findings highlight that many clinicians involved in knee/hip OA management, particularly general practitioners and physiotherapists, perceive OA to be a low priority 'wear-and-tear' disease with expected progression of symptoms, making joint replacement surgery eventually inevitable. Further, many clinicians appear to lack knowledge about and interest in physical activity and exercise therapy in the management of knee/hip OA, and seem to show uncertainty about the effectiveness and safety of physical activity and exercise therapy on joint health., Conclusion: Clinicians' attitudes and beliefs about physical activity and exercise therapy in OA seem to reflect an outdated narrative which describes OA as a wear-and-tear disease with inevitable disease progression to joint replacement surgery. Clinicians need to adopt a contemporary narrative, which accurately reflects current knowledge and evidence-based practice, thereby ensuring consistent utilisation of exercise therapy as first-line care as recommended in OA guidelines., (Copyright © 2021 Osteoarthritis Research Society International. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)