Study shows stronger thigh muscles can prevent knee replacement surgery

NEW YORK: Stronger quadriceps muscles, relative to the hamstrings, may lower the risk of total knee replacement, according to a study led by an Indian-origin researcher.

Researchers from the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) said the findings could inform strength-training programmes for people with advanced arthritis in the knee.

Advanced knee osteoarthritis is a major cause of pain and disability worldwide.

While stronger muscle groups are generally understood to be associated with a lower rate of total knee replacement, their relative importance is not well established. Of particular interest is the relationship between the extensors and the hamstrings, the two most important muscle groups in the knee.

The extensors, the muscles on the front of the thigh commonly referred to as the quadriceps, are the strongest muscle group in the body and have essential influence on gait, other activities and biomechanics.

The muscles around the back of the thigh known as the hamstrings are responsible for extension of the hip and flexion of the knee, making them equally essential for physical activity.