Skin Extensibility during Knee Joint Flexion

概要

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Limited range of motion in the knee joint is often observed in patients after total knee arthroplasty. Decreased extensibility of the skin is one of the factors limiting motion. The purpose of this study was to examine the extensibility of the skin over the knee during knee flexionat at angles of 0°, 30°, 60°, 90°, 120°, 150°, and maximal flexion as performed by 30 healthy subjects (15 males, 15 females). The skin covering the anterior area of the knee was divided into 4 sections: skin over the femur, the suprapatellar bursa, the patella, and the patellar ligament. The dimensions of each section at each flexion position were measured. The results indicate that the extensibility of the skin over the suprapatellar bursa and the patella in positions from 0° to 30° was significantly greater than that covering the femur and the patellar ligament (p<0.05). In addition, as the degree of knee flexion increased, the extensibility of the skin over the suprapatellar bursa and the patellar ligament was greater than that over the other areas. The results of this study indicate that evaluation of skin extensibility during physical therapy for patients with limited range of motion in the knee must include not only the area that shows limited motion but also the surrounding areas.
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