Muscle inhibition in knee osteoarthritis phenotypes (version 1)
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Characterising arthrogenic muscle inhibition in different knee osteoarthritis phenotypes
IRAS ID
295565
Contact name
Jakob Skarabot
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Loughborough University
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 9 months, 30 days
Research summary
People with knee osteoarthritis typically have weaker muscles that extend the knee, which are important for mobility and ambulation and thus independence and quality of life. This weakness is because of muscle inhibition, which is the reduced ability of the brain to activate all muscle fibres within the muscle. This muscle inhibition is known to cause muscle weakness and may be preventing effective muscle strengthening and rehabilitation. It has been suggested that joint pain, damage, swelling, and inflammation reduce the signal from the brain to muscle, which leads to inhibition and muscle weakness. However, the influence of these factors in patients with knee osteoarthritis has not been explored directly. Furthermore, the level inhibition is known to be variable across knee osteoarthritis phenotypes that are known to present different levels of joint damage, pain, swelling and inflammation.
In this study, we will investigate what causes muscle inhibition in knee osteoarthritis patients and whether patients with different levels of joint damage, pain, swelling and inhibition (phenotypes) exhibit different levels of inhibition and the activation signal from the brain to muscle fibres. The level of inhibition will be measured by stimulating the nerve that activates the knee extensors during muscle contractions. During muscle contractions, we will also measure the electrical signals that control the muscle to investigate the detailed differences in the muscle activation signal. This will be done by placing electrodes on the skin covering the muscle (surface electromyography) or inserting a very thin needle electrode (26 gauge, smaller than a blood sampling needle; needle electromyography) into the muscle. Imaging techniques (magnetic resonance imaging and ultrasound) and questionnaires will be used to determine the levels of joint damage, pain, swelling and inflammation.
REC name
South West - Central Bristol Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
21/SW/0131
Date of REC Opinion
12 Oct 2021
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion