ORIGINAL PAPER
Potential influence from lower limb preference and 1-RM on cartilage thickness
 
 
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La Trobe Rural Health School, La Trobe University, Bendigo, Australia
 
 
Submission date: 2020-02-04
 
 
Acceptance date: 2020-05-25
 
 
Publication date: 2020-11-15
 
 
Hum Mov. 2021;22(2):9-15
 
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ABSTRACT
Purpose:
The aims of this study were to assess the potential retrospective relationship between limb preference and cartilage thickness, and to determine the association between measures of strength using 1-RM tests and cartilage thickness.

Methods:
Cross-sectional retrospective design was employed. Limb preference and injury history were collected using the Waterloo Inventory followed by femoral cartilage imaging using ultrasound. 15 apparently healthy participants (11 males and four females) without musculoskeletal or neurological diseases volunteered for the study. After collection of anthropometric measures, warm-up and familiarization, participants performed 1-RM for back half-squat on a Smith machine. Ultrasound images were digitized to determine bilateral differences and femoral cartilage thickness.

Results:
Significant moderate association between the existence of a prior injury and bilateral differences in cartilage thickness (r = -0.63, p < 0.01), in favor of the preferred limb was observed. Significant moderate association between the 1-RM, as percentage of body mass, and the mean cartilage thickness between limb (r = 0.58, p = 0.049).

Conclusions:
Bilateral differences in cartilage thickness are not associated with limb preference but depend on the history of lower limb injuries. The relative load lifted during a 1-RM half-squat is associated with thicker femoral cartilages, which suggests that relative strength is an important measure of cartilage health.

 
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