Kim Louise Bennell

BACKGROUND: Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is a major public health issue because it causes chronic pain, reduces physical function and diminishes quality of life. Ageing of the population and increased global prevalence of obesity are anticipated to dramatically increase the prevalence of knee OA and its associated impairments. No cure for knee OA is known, but exercise therapy is among the dominant non-pharmacological interventions recommended by international guidelines.

OBJECTIVES: To ...

IMPORTANCE: There is debate about benefits of acupuncture for knee pain.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the efficacy of laser and needle acupuncture for chronic knee pain.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Zelen-design clinical trial (randomization occurred before informed consent), in Victoria, Australia (February 2010-December 2012). Community volunteers (282 patients aged ≥50 years with chronic knee pain) were treated by family physician acupuncturists.

INTERVENTIONS: No acupuncture ...

OBJECTIVES: To compare the hip and ankle range of motion and hip muscle strength in 8-11 year old novice female ballet dancers and controls.

METHODS: Subjects were 77 dancers and 49 controls (mean (SD) age 9.6 (0.8) and 9.6 (0.7) years respectively). Supine right active hip external rotation (ER) and internal rotation (IR) were measured using an inclinometer. A turnout protractor was used to assess standing active turnout range. The measure of ER achieved from below the hip during ...

OBJECTIVES: To recommend a consensus-derived set of performance-based tests of physical function for use in people diagnosed with hip or knee osteoarthritis (OA) or following joint replacement.

METHODS: An international, multidisciplinary expert advisory group was established to guide the study. Potential tests for consideration in the recommended set were identified via a survey of selected experts and through a systematic review of the measurement properties for performance-based ...

BACKGROUND: Osteoarthritis of the knee involving predominantly the medial tibiofemoral compartment is common in older people, giving rise to pain and loss of function. Many people experience progressive worsening of the disease over time, particularly those with varus malalignment and increased medial knee joint load. Therefore, interventions that can reduce excessive medial knee loading may be beneficial in reducing the risk of structural progression. Traditional quadriceps ...

BACKGROUND: In many healthcare systems, people with severe joint disease wait months to years for joint replacement surgery. There are little empirical data on the health consequences of this delay and it is unclear whether people with substantial morbidity at entry to the waiting list continue to deteriorate further while awaiting surgery. This study investigated changes in Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL), health status and psychological distress among people waiting for total ...

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate in a 12 month longitudinal study changes in hip and ankle range of motion and hip muscle strength in young female novice ballet dancers.

METHODS: Fifty three of the original 77 (69%) female dancers aged 8-11 years and 40 of the original 49 (82%) controls returned for follow up measurements one year later. Supine right active hip external (ER) and internal (IR) rotation were measured using an inclinometer. A turnout protractor was used to assess standing active ...

OBJECTIVE: To examine the relative and absolute intrarater test-retest reliability of muscle strength and range of motion (ROM) measurements of the hip performed in people with hip osteoarthritis.

DESIGN: Repeated measures.

SETTING: Human movement laboratory of a university.

PARTICIPANTS: Participants (N=22; 10 men, 12 women; age range, 50-84y) with hip osteoarthritis.

INTERVENTIONS: On 2 separate occasions, at least 1 week apart, isometric torque measurements were obtained from the hip ...

OBJECTIVE: To examine whether the effects of 12 weeks of quadriceps strengthening on the knee adduction moment, pain, and function in people with medial knee osteoarthritis (OA) differ in those with and without varus malalignment.

METHODS: A single-blind, randomized controlled trial of 107 community volunteers with medial knee OA was conducted. Participants were stratified according to knee malalignment (more varus or more neutral) and then randomized into either a 12-week supervised ...

BACKGROUND: Knee osteoarthritis is a chronic condition with no known cure. Treatment focuses on symptom management, with exercise recommended as a core component by all clinical practice guidelines. However, long-term adherence to exercise is poor among many people with knee osteoarthritis, which limits its capacity to provide sustained symptom relief. To improve exercise outcomes, scalable interventions that facilitate exercise adherence are needed. SMS (short message service) ...

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the efficacy of a programme of manual therapy and exercise treatment compared with placebo treatment delivered by physiotherapists for people with chronic rotator cuff disease.

DESIGN: Randomised, participant and single assessor blinded, placebo controlled trial.

SETTING: Metropolitan region of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.

PARTICIPANTS: 120 participants with chronic (>3 months) rotator cuff disease recruited through medical practitioners and from the ...

The purpose of this study was to determine whether surface electromyography (EMG) assessment of myoelectric manifestations of muscle fatigue is capable of detecting differences between the vastus lateralis and medialis muscles which are consistent with the results of previous biopsy studies. Surface EMG signals were recorded from the vastus medialis longus (VML), vastus medialis obliquus (VMO) and vastus lateralis (VL) muscles during isometric knee extension contractions at 60% and 80% ...

OBJECTIVES: To systematically review the measurement properties of performance-based measures to assess physical function in people with hip and/or knee osteoarthritis (OA).

METHODS: Electronic searches were performed in MEDLINE, CINAHL, Embase, and PsycINFO up to the end of June 2012. Two reviewers independently rated measurement properties using the consensus-based standards for the selection of health status measurement instrument (COSMIN). "Best evidence synthesis" was made using ...