基于"筋骨平衡"理论探讨中老年人小腿后群肌对膝骨关节炎的影响OA

Objective:To investigate the correlation between fat infiltration of the gastrocnemius and metatarsal muscles in middle-aged and elderly people and the progression of knee osteoarthritis.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on a total of 80 patients who were hospitalized and diagnosed with primary unilateral or bilateral knee joints between Janu-ary 2023 and February 2025.Correlation analysis and multivariate linear regression analysis were used to analyze the asso-ciation between muscle fat infiltration in the posterior compartment of the lower leg and both knee joint parameter changes and osteoarthritis progression severity.Results:The medial knee joint space of patients with knee osteoarthritis was nega-tively correlated with the fat infiltration rate of the gastrocnemius muscle(r=-0.027,P<0.001),the fat area of the metatarsal muscle(r=-0.130,P<0.001),and the fat infiltration rate of the metatarsal muscle(r=-0.043,P<0.001).The lateral space of the knee joint was negatively correlated with the fat infiltration rate of the gastrocnemius mus-cle(r=-0.016,P=0.001).In the linear regression analy-sis,an increase in the fat area and fat infiltration rate of the gastrocnemius muscle is associated with a reduction in the medial and lateral joint spaces of the knee and an increase in the lateral angle of the distal femur.Conclusion:There is a correlation between the fat infiltration rate of the gastrocnemius muscle in the lower leg of middle-aged and elderly people and the medial and lateral spaces of the knee joint.Meanwhile,the mass of the gastrocnemius muscle may be one of the important indicators for evaluating the degree of knee joint degeneration and the occurrence and development of KOA in middle-aged and elderly people;it may also become one of the key targets for the prevention and treatment of KOA in the early and middle stages of clinical practice.