A biokinetic approach in primary knee osteoarthritis prevention and management–exploring movement profiles and kinetic chain interactions: Current concepts

Abstract

Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic disease characterized by increasing prevalence and significant physical, psychological, and economic burdens. Despite extensive research, the definition, risk factors, and effective cost-efficient treatments for knee OA remain unclear. This article aims to revisit primary knee OA, understanding its etiology, and focusing on prevention and individualized nonoperative treatment modalities. This study reviews various aspects of knee OA, including its global prevalence, economic impact, and current treatment strategies. It explores the role of mechanical loading pathways in the disease's onset, highlighting the importance of considering not only the knee but the entire kinetic chain in diagnosis and treatment. Also, it discusses knee anatomy and biomechanics during functional activities, emphasizing the role of neuromuscular control and the influence of proximal and distal joints on knee health. Current treatments focus mainly on symptom management, with limited success in disease prevention and curative interventions. This review underlines the importance of understanding the biomechanical risk factors contributing to knee OA and the necessity of individualized interventions based on biokinetic profile analysis. Knee OA management and prevention necessitate a paradigm shift from viewing it as a localized knee disease to recognizing related mechanical overloads of the human complex motion system. Identifying individual inductive elements is paramount for effective knee OA prevention, management, and rehabilitation. Future research should endeavor to identify movement profile subgroups to establish an early-stage prognosis and the impact of interventions for each group.

Level of evidence v

Expert opinion based on nonsystematic review.