Assessing the Impact of Isokinetic Muscular Strengthening in Eccentric Mode in the Medical Treatment of Knee Osteoarthritis

Knee osteoarthritis (O.A. from now on) is associated to muscular weakness of inferior limbs, especially the quadriceps; leading to disease progression. Advantages of muscular strength training for the treatment of this kind of O.A. is now well established. In this therapeutic field, isokinetic exercises seem to have a better efficiency than other, more frequently used, kinds of exercises such as isometric or isotonic exercises. Functional impairment caused by knee O.A. is mainly affecting walking. Walking induces muscles to work in eccentric mode. The hypothesis of this study is that muscular strengthening using isokinetic exercises in eccentric mode would have a more important benefit than isokinetic exercises in concentric mode. Such an hypothesis, if verified, could lead to a better management of rehabilitative knee exercises in the treatment of knee O.A.