Factors Related to Standing Balance in Patients With Knee Osteoarthritis

OBJECTIVE: To assess factors related to standing balance in patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA). METHODS: In total, 37 female patients with painful knee OA were included. Pain, knee alignment, and Kellgren and Lawrence grade were evaluated accordingly. Static standing balance was measured with a force-platform system under two different conditions: static standing with eyes open (EO) and eyes closed (EC) for 30 seconds. The mean speed (mm/s) of movement of the center of pressure in the anteroposterior (AP) and mediolateral directions and the mean velocity moment (mm(2)/s) were analyzed for assessment of static balance. RESULTS: In the univariate regression analysis, age and knee alignment showed statistically significant relationships with the mean speed in the AP directions with EO. In the multiple linear regression model, age and knee alignment were positively associated and disease severity was negatively associated with mean speed in the AP directions with EO. However, the variables for EC static measurements were not significantly correlated with age, pain, knee alignment, or radiographic severity (p>0.05). CONCLUSION: These findings show that the worse balance was associated with advanced age, less varus knee malalignment, and mild radiographic changes. Pain was not associated with standing balance.