Mittal T. Raval , Bhavna Gadhavi
Osteoarthritis is a chronic and degenerative disease, with disease prevalence increasing with advancing age. Higher BMI is a significant risk factor for OA in weight bearing joints. Balance is an integral component of Activity of
Daily Living. Obese individuals have more stable postural balance but may still experience difficulty in dynamic balance. Impairment in balance capacity raises the risk of falls for obese individuals. Impairment in components of mobility and balance affect functional activity of person.
Materials and Methods: 90 Knee osteoarthritis subjects that fulfill the inclusion and exclusion criteria and written informed consent was taken. Dynamic balance and functional activity were measured by SEBT score and WOMAC score respectively.
Results: The data was analyzed using Pearson correlation coefficient for correlation of SEBT and WOMAC with different BMI groups and ANOVA for comparison of SEBT and WOMAC within and between groups. It was found that there were no significant correlation of Body Mass Index(BMI) on dynamic balance and functional activity in persons with osteoarthritis of knee.
Conclusion: It is concluded that dynamic balance and functional activity in subjects with OA have no statistical significant difference in different groups of BMI. So, BMI does not have any correlation with dynamic balance in subjects with OA knee as well as BMI does not have any correlation with functional activity in subjects with OA knee. But, Clinically subjects with higher BMI shows reduced dynamic balance and functional activity compared with normal and overweight individuals.
Keywords: Osteoarthritis, Body Mass Index (BMI), Dynamic Balance, Star Excursion Balance Test, WOMAC (Western Ontario and MacMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index).