Eight weeks of a lower limb resistance training protocol and gait performance in patients with symptomatic mild to moderate knee osteoarthritis.

Background: The role of strengthening the lower limbs to optimize the biomechanics of the hip, knee and ankle during walking in patients with knee osteoarthritis, is still unclear. This study aimed to analyse the walking biomechanics of individuals with symptomatic mild to moderate knee osteoarthritis before and after a simplified lower limb resistance training protocol, focused on knee joint exercises with individualized load.

Methods: Forty-one patients with symptomatic and radiographic mild to moderate knee osteoarthritis underwent 3D gait analysis pre-post 8 weeks lower limb resistance training protocol performed 3 times a week.