None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
Joint disease often leads to an ongoing, reflex weakness of muscles acting across the damaged joint. This process is thought to occur at a spinal cord level and is called Arthrogenic Muscle Inhibition (AMI). At the knee joint, the quadriceps (the muscles at the front of the thigh) are preferentially affected by AMI. The quadriceps have an important protective function to the knee joint. Weakness and dysfunction due to AMI may reduce the shock attenuating ability of the muscles, increasing the forces acting at the knee and predisposing chronic arthritic joints to further injury or damage. While a number of studies have investigated the effects of swelling and joint disease on quadriceps function, few have looked at ways to overcome this problem. The purpose of this study is to measure changes in quadriceps muscle function, spinal reflex excitability and patients’ ability to perform day-to-day tasks after 1.) withdrawing fluid from their knee joints and then 2.) injecting a corticosteroid (an anti-inflammatory drug) into their joint. Results from the current study will provide important information concerning the mechanisms behind AMI and the rehabilitation of patients with chronic arthritic disease of the knee joint.
Interventions
Aspiration and a single dose intra-articular injection of 40mg Depomedrol. Participants will be followed up for 2 weeks after corticosteroid injection.
Sponsors
AUT University
Study design
Allocation
Non-randomised trial
Intervention model
Single group
Primary purpose
Treatment
Masking
Open (masking not used)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
1. A primary diagnosis of inflammatory arthritis, including rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, crystal arthritis. 2. A clinically detectable knee joint effusion as well as other clinical signs and symptoms of knee joint synovitis including pain on motion, heat and tenderness on palpation.
Exclusion criteria
1.Recent history of an intra-articular corticosteroid injection to the knee joint. 2.Any medical condition that may preclude the performance of maximum effort strength tests.
Outcome results
None listed