Cartilage atrophy in the knees of patients after seven weeks of partial load bearing

Hinterwimmer S, Krammer M, Krötz M, et al. · Arthritis and Rheumatism

Knee cartilage of the unloaded (but uninjured) limb thinned measurably in 7 weeks — from -2.9% (patella) to -6.6% (medial tibia) — alongside 11% quadriceps atrophy; even partial unloading is enough to shrink cartilage.

Population

20 patients on crutches with partial weight bearing for 7 weeks after ankle fracture (uninjured knee imaged)

Intervention

Seven weeks of reduced (partial) limb loading

Comparator

Baseline MRI ~3 days post-injury

Limitations

No parallel control group (within-subject change); trauma-related systemic factors possible; short follow-up without recovery imaging.