Knee Confidence Trajectories Over Eight Years and Factors Associated With Poor Trajectories in Individuals With or at Risk for Knee Osteoarthritis.

Objective: To identify distinct trajectories of lack of knee confidence over an 8-year follow-up period and to examine baseline factors associated with poor trajectories in individuals with or at risk for knee osteoarthritis (OA).

Methods: The Osteoarthritis Initiative is a prospective cohort study of individuals with or at high risk for knee OA. Confidence in the knees was assessed within the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score instrument querying how much the individual is troubled by lack of confidence in his/her knee(s), rated as not-at-all (score = 0), mildly (score = 1), moderately (score = 2), severely (score = 3), and extremely (score = 4) troubled, reported annually from baseline to 96 months.

Knee Instability and Basic and Advanced Function Decline in Knee Osteoarthritis.

Objective: Manifestations of instability in knee osteoarthritis (OA) include low overall knee confidence, low confidence that the knees will not buckle, buckling, and excessive motion during gait. Confidence and buckling may particularly influence activity choices, contributing to events leading to disability. Buckling is more likely to affect advanced than basic functional tasks.

Factors associated with pain experience outcome in knee osteoarthritis.

Objective: Few strategies to improve pain outcome in knee osteoarthritis (OA) exist in part because how best to evaluate pain over the long term is unclear. Our objectives were to determine the frequency of a good pain experience outcome based on previously formulated OA pain stages and test the hypothesis that less depression and pain catastrophizing and greater self-efficacy and social support are each associated with greater likelihood of a good outcome.

Methods: Study participants, all with knee OA, reported pain stage at baseline and 2 years.

Excess body weight and four-year function outcomes: comparison of African Americans and whites in a prospective study of osteoarthritis.

Objective: We evaluated whether African Americans in the Osteoarthritis Initiative (OAI) have a greater risk (versus whites) of poor 4-year function outcome within strata defined by sex, body mass index (BMI), and waist circumference.

Methods: Using Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index function, 20-meter walk, and chair stand performance, poor outcome was defined as moving into a worse function group or remaining in the 2 worst groups over 4 years. Logistic regression was used to evaluate the relationship between racial group and outcome within each stratum, adjusting for age, education, and income, and then further adjusting for BMI, comorbidity, depressive symptoms, physical activity, knee pain, and osteoarthritis (OA) severity.

Factors that affect decisions about physical activity and exercise in survivors of breast cancer: a qualitative study.

Background: Exercise has many benefits for survivors of breast cancer, yet only half of this population regularly exercise. Fear has been identified as a barrier to exercise for people with neuromusculoskeletal conditions but has been minimally explored in women with breast cancer.

Objectives: The purposes of this study were: (1) to investigate factors that affected decisions about physical activity and exercise in survivors of breast cancer and (2) to determine whether fear was a factor.

Knee confidence as it relates to physical function outcome in persons with or at high risk of knee osteoarthritis in the osteoarthritis initiative.

Objective: To evaluate whether low knee confidence at baseline is associated with poor baseline-to-3-year physical function outcome in the Osteoarthritis Initiative.

Methods: Knee confidence was assessed using an item from the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score instrument. Physical function was assessed using self-report measures (Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index [WOMAC] function score and Short Form 12 physical component scale) and performance-based measures (20-meter walk and chair stand test).

Reliability of classifications derived from Cyriax's resisted testing in subjects with painful shoulders and knees.

Study Design: Intrarater and interrater reliability.

Objectives: Examine intrarater and interrater reliability of the resisted-testing component of Cyriax's selective tension testing for patients with painful shoulders and knees.

Background: Clinicians make diagnostic and intervention decisions about lesions in contractile tissues based on resisted testing.

Quadriceps strength and osteoarthritis progression in malaligned and lax knees.

Background: Quadriceps muscle strengthening is a common goal in the management of knee osteoarthritis. In healthy knees, strength protects against new osteoarthritis. In arthritic knees, greater strength may protect joints and thereby delay osteoarthritis progression.