Detection of the meniscal stress leading to individual prevention of knee osteoarthritis progression using wearable sensor

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K21218
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: 0909:Sports sciences, physical education, health sciences, and related fields
• Research Institution: Hiroshima University
• Principal Investigator: Yosuke Ishii 広島大学, 医系科学研究科(保), 助教 (70908227)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-08-30 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 半月板逸脱 / 変形性膝関節症 / 動態解析 / 歩行 / 動的超音波

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In knee osteoarthritis (OA), the behavior of meniscus extrusion during walking was greater than that in healthy volunteers and presented a variety of dynamics meniscus extrusion. Moreover, the mechanical stresses correlated with the behavior of meniscus extrusion were differ in each dynamics meniscus extrusion, respectively. These stresses are known to contribute to the knee OA progression, and indicating that the dynamics of the meniscus extrusion and its classification could explain the knee OA pathology underlying mechanical stress, individually.
Additionally, these mechanical stresses were also correlated with values of acceleration and angular velocity using wearable sensors, respectively. Therefore, individual stress of the meniscus can be easily visualized by wearable sensors, in which our finding indicates the clinically meaningful detection of abnormal mechanical stress in the knee OA at an early stage and contributes to the prevention of the progression of the knee OA.

Free Research Field

リハビリテーション学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

半月板の動態分類で個別的な運動力学的ストレスを同定し、そしてウェラブルセンサーを用いた簡易ストレス可視化は、変形性膝関節症（膝ＯＡ）の早期段階から異常な力学病態の検出を可能とし、本分野の予防知見に大きく貢献したと考えらえる。また同じ膝ＯＡ症例内でも半月板逸脱の力学的な進行機序が異なる知見は、膝ＯＡ患者への進行予防に向けた適切な治療介入に導き、結果として病態悪化に伴う医療・介護費の抑制に繋がるなど、大きな社会的意義があると考える。