家庭用体重計を用いた女性変形性膝関節症患者の大腿四頭筋筋力測定の有用性について

Usefulness of Measuring Quadriceps Femoris Muscle Strength with a Bathroom Scale to Women Patients with Osteoarthritis of the Knee

　変形性膝関節症(膝OA)の大腿四頭筋筋力を患者が家庭で定量的に測定できる方法として，家庭用体重計の上にロール紙を置き，それを膝窩部で押さえつける方法を考案した．本法による測定値は，女性膝OA患者群(53例)と年齢と性を一致させたコントール群(53例)との間に有意差があり，医療用計測器での測定値と有意に相関した．また訓練を指導した患者群(26例)のほうが訓練を指導しなかった群(27例)に比べて有意に筋力が増加した．家庭用体重計を用いて大腿四頭筋筋力を定量化する本法は，患者のモチベーションの維持に有用であると結論した．

　We developed a method that allows women patients with osteoarthritis of the knee (knee OA) to measure the isometric muscle strength of their quadriceps femoris by compressing a cylindrical paper in the popliteal fossa on a bathroom scale.　The quadriceps femoris muscle strength of women with knee OA (n＝53) was significantly lower than that of healthy control women (n＝53).　The muscle strength values measured with the bathroom scale were significantly correlated with the values measured with a precision medical instrument.　The muscle strength of patients who were instructed to perform quadriceps exercises at home (n＝26) was significantly greater than that of patients who were not instructed to perform the exercise at home (n＝27).　The method of measuring quadriceps femoris muscle strength with bathroom scale should be a useful means of maintaining the motivation of knee OA patients who are participating in a home quadriceps exercise program.