Functional difficulties in obese women with knee osteoarthritis: relationships between subjective perception and motor performance

Abstract

Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic disease associated to complaints of functional, walking difficulties. There is no agreement about the best way to evaluate such hindrances, and factors determining the degree of self-reported difficulties have not been established. This study aimed at
investigating the relationshio between both objective factors (motor
performance speed, symptom duration, and age) and subjective ones (pain intensity), and the degree of functional difficulties reported by a group of obese women with knee OA. A group of 35 volunteers were submitted to four performance tests that simulate functional activities: usual gait, fast gait, ascending and descending stairs. The degree of functional difficulties was evaluated by the questionnaire The Western Ontario and McMaster Osteoarthritis Index (Womac). The 31 women, mean aged 52,5±9,9 years old, with mean body mass index of 41,1±8,0 kg/m2, having had OA for about 6 years, presented bilateral OA, with moderate symptoms and radiographic signs. Results show statistically significant correlations between speed and pain intensity during tests, and the degree of functional difficulties as assessed by Womac. The other objective variables did not present significant correlations. In order to assess the functional impact of knee OA in obese women, clinical studies should consider not only objective factors, but also subjective ones during motor activities.