The influences of walking, running and stair activity on knee articular cartilage: Quantitative MRI using T1 rho and T2 mapping

Chen M, Qiu L, Shen S, Wang F, Zhang J, Zhang C, Wang B, Fu S · PLoS One

T1 rho and T2 values fell after every activity in every cartilage region, consistent with water being pressed out of the tissue under load. The fall was larger after running than after walking, and larger after stair activity than after running everywhere except the femoral cartilage. Patellofemoral cartilage changed most, then medial tibiofemoral, then lateral; within the patella the superficial layer changed more than the deep.

Population

Twenty-three young healthy adults, right knee imaged at 3.0 T

Intervention

Thirty minutes of rest, walking, running and stair activity on separate occasions, each followed immediately by T1 rho and T2 mapping

Limitations

Twenty-three young healthy adults, one session per activity, immediate post-exercise imaging only — it measures the acute response of cartilage to load, not adaptation and not anything about osteoarthritis. T1 rho and T2 shifts are indirect readouts of water and matrix rather than direct measures of health. The authors declare no competing interests.