Potential influence from lower limb preference and 1-rm on cartilage thickness

Abstract

Purpose. The aims of this study were to assess the potential retrospective relationship between limb preference and cartilage thickness, and to determine the association between measures of strength using one-repetition maximum (1-RM) tests and cartilage thickness. Methods. A cross-sectional retrospective design was employed. Limb preference and injury history were collected with the Waterloo Inventory followed by ultrasound femoral cartilage imaging. Overall, 15 apparently healthy participants (11 males and 4 females) without musculoskeletal or neurological diseases volunteered for the study. After collection of anthropometric measures, warm-up, and familiarization, the participants performed 1-RM for back half-squat on a Smith machine. Ultrasound images were digitized to determine bilateral differences and femoral cartilage thickness. Results. A significant moderate association between the existence of a prior injury and bilateral differences in cartilage thickness (r = -0.63, p < 0.01) in favour of the preferred limb was observed. There was a significant moderate association between 1-RM, as percentage of body mass, and the mean bilateral cartilage thickness (r = 0.58, p = 0.049). Conclusions. Bilateral differences in cartilage thickness are not associated with limb preference but depend on the history of lower limb injuries. The relative load lifted during a 1-RM half-squat is associated with thicker femoral cartilages, which suggests that relative strength is an important measure of cartilage health.