Squatting On Knee Articular Cartilage In Healthy

Introduction:Knee Osteoarthritis (OA) is a growing musculoskeletal burden,

globally. Knee OA is characterized by deterioration of articular cartilage resulting in

stiffness, pain, disability and impaired ability to perform function. Increasing

prevalence and early manifestation of OA demand exploration of risk factors and

healthy life style practices that can be adopted to delay its onset. However, negligible

efforts are noticed in the pre-clinical phase of OA to delay degenerative changes

occurring in knee by improving regular physical activity. Squatting, in addition to

being an inclusive component of ADL, is one such activity which can be selfadministered

by an individual to strengthen lower limb muscles, improve joint motion

and provide the necessary loading stimulus to maintain articular cartilage health.

Articular cartilage is known to be influenced by habitual physical loading stimulus.

Multi-factorial interaction between biomechanical variables of loading, biochemical

markers of articular cartilage degradation and structural defects in the cartilage, would

enable early identification of altered mechanical loading and change in the tissue

biochemistry which serve as risk factors for development of early knee OA.

Understanding the dose-dependent response of articular cartilage in people with

varying habitual squatting exposure will enable guiding prescription of this excellent

weight-bearing activity as a life style measure to maintain mobility, muscle strength

and cartilage health which may delay early onset OA in healthy adults.

Aims and objectives: This study aimed to explore effect of squatting on knee

articular cartilage in healthy adults. Objectives of the study were i)to quantify squat

exposure, ii)to analyse natural biomechanical adaptations in terms of knee joint

motion, loading characteristics and muscle activity in healthy adults in age group 30-

45 years, with varying squat exposure i.e. non squatters(NS)-people who do not squat,

activity of daily living squatters (ADLS)-people who adopt squatting for activities of

daily living and occupational squatters(OS)-people who squat for performing

occupational activities.Secondary objectives of the study were to explore associations

between knee articular cartilage characteristics, levels of biochemical biomarker

urinary collage type II telopeptide (uCTx II), super-oxide scavenging activity, level of

habitual physical activity and BMI. Lastly, effect of deep-squatting intervention was

observed inexperimental and control group of non-squatters, to establish squatting as

an effective life-style strategy to improve lower extremity muscle strength.