Knee pain: Osteoarthritis in some religious sectors due to biomechanical postural loading. a literature review

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most frequent chronic musculoskeletal disorder and leading cause of disability in the US and the world population. Approximately 43 million Americans and 15% of the world are affected. The pathogenic role of the biomechanical dysfunction in OA is well established and is influenced by many factors, including kinematics. OA affects the whole joint, including muscles, tendons, ligaments, synovium and bone. The knee anatomy, biomechanics of the knee and postural loading, and Muslim and Catholic religious praying practices and Vietnamese culture of squatting will be reviewed and discussed. Case management will also be discussed. METHODS A systematic literature search was performed in MeSH, MEDLINE and PubMed using the terms “osteoarthritis and knee pain”, “knee osteoarthritis and posture”, “religion and knee pain”, “pathophysiology of OA”. RESULTS The literature search identified 10 relevant papers pertaining to knee OA and posture. CONCLUSION The current research on postural loading affecting knee OA is limited. As chiropractic healthcare providers, one needs to take into consideration cultural diversity and consider or recommend postural modification during bowing or kneeling during prayer to relieve or prevent knee pain and OA.