ASSOICIATION BETWEEN PEAK VERTICAL GROUND REACTION FORCE, STEPS PER DAY, CUMULATIVE LOADING AND FEMORAL CARTILAGE DEFORMATION AFTER A STANDARDIZED WALKING PROTOCOL IN HEALTHY INDIVIDUALS

The purpose of this study was to determine the association between walking gait loading variables (peak vertical ground reaction force, steps per day, and cumulative load) and resting femoral cartilage cross sectional area and femoral cartilage deformation immediately following a standardized walking protocol in healthy individuals. Data was obtained to assess gait biomechanics, femoral cartilage measures, and daily steps counts for each participant. Separate univariate multiple linear regression models were conducted to determine the individual associations between knee cartilage baseline cross sectional area and deformation and loading variables. There was an association between greater peak vGRF and lesser resting cartilage total cross sectional area. There were no statistically significant associations between steps per day, cumulative load, and femoral cartilage measures. Clinically, the findings from this study support that moderate levels of activity do not associate with acute changes to resting femoral cartilage cross sectional area and deformation in healthy individuals.Master of Art