Inter-limb effects of isometric quadriceps strengthening on untrained contra-lateral homologous muscle of patients with knee osteoarthritis.

Purpose: The primary objective of this study was to establish if there would be inter-limb crossing of strength from trained quadriceps muscles of unaffected limb to the untrained homologous group of muscles in subjects with knee osteoarthritis.

Methods: Twenty-one patients with knee osteoarthritis were recruited for the study. The affected knee was not trained while the unaffected quadriceps group of muscles was trained for 6 weeks using isometric contraction exercises.