Knee cartilage of spinal cord-injured patients displays progressive thinning in the absence of normal joint loading and movement

Vanwanseele B, Eckstein F, Knecht H, et al. · Arthritis and Rheumatism

Knee cartilage thinned progressively without any joint disease: patellar cartilage -10% at 6 months and -21% to -23% by 12–24 months; medial tibia -16% at 6 months and -24% to -25% by 12–24 months.

Population

Patients with complete traumatic spinal cord injury, knee MRI at 6, 12 and 24 months post-injury

Intervention

Loss of joint loading and movement (paralysis)

Comparator

Healthy reference knees

Limitations

Small n; SCI involves neurovascular and systemic changes beyond pure unloading; no randomization possible.