Pain and Effusion and Quadriceps Activation and Strength

Context: Quadriceps dysfunction is a common consequence of knee joint injury and disease, yet its causes remain elusive. Objective: To determine the effects of pain on quadriceps strength and activation and to learn if simultaneous pain and knee joint effusion affect the magnitude of quadriceps dysfunction. Design: Crossover study. Setting: University research laboratory. Patients or Other Participants: Fourteen (8 men, 6 women; age 23.6 +/- 4.8 years, height 170.3 +/- 9.16 cm, mass = 72.9 +/- 11.84 kg) healthy volunteers. Intervention(s): All participants were tested under 4 randomized conditions: normal knee, effused knee, painful knee, and effused and painful knee. Main Outcome Measure(s): Quadriceps strength (Nm/kg) and activation (central activation ratio) were assessed after each condition was induced. Results: Quadriceps strength and activation were highest under the normal knee condition and differed from the 3 experimental knee conditions (P < .05). No differences were noted among the 3 experimental knee conditions for either variable (P > .05). Conclusions: Both pain and effusion led to quadriceps dysfunction, but the interaction of the 2 stimuli did not increase the magnitude of the strength or activation deficits. Therefore, pain and effusion can be considered equally potent in eliciting quadriceps inhibition. Given that pain and effusion accompany numerous knee conditions, the prevalence of quadriceps dysfunction is likely high.