Age Influence on Knee Joint Flexors

Abstract

Background : Knee flexors tightness has been documented in apparently healthy adults and in those with musculoskeletal problems, but the influence of age on the tightness has not been studied in Iraq. This study was therefore designed to determine the influence of age on knee flexors tightness in apparently healthy subjects.Methods: Knee flexors tightness was measured using the active knee extension test (AKET) in 200 apparently healthy male and female subjects, aged 13 to 59 years. The subjects were recruited into 5 age groups using the purposive sampling technique.Knee flexors tightness was compared across the age groups using one-way analysis ofvariance (ANOVA). The independent t-test was used to compare knee flexors tightness on both lower limbs in male and female subjects.Results: Subjects' mean age was 29.63 ± 16.72 years. All subjects had knee flexors tightness (absolute extension lag) and this increased with age up to age group 40-49 years. The male subjects had significantly higher knee flexors tightness than the females in all the age groups.Conclusion: This study suggests that knee flexors tightness increases in apparently healthy persons from adolescent up to age 40-49 years and it is higher in males than females.Key words: knee flexors tightness, age, active knee extension test

Keywords

• knee flexors tightness, age, active knee extension test