Knee Biomechanics of Older Adults During Common Recreational and Daily Activities

Among older adults, socialization is a key motivating factor for participation in physical activity. In order to develop evidence-based physical activity recommendations for older adults with knee pathologies a better understanding of knee biomechanics during social recreational activities is needed. The purpose of this study was to determine knee joint kinematics and kinetics in healthy older adults during golf and bowling. Knee biomechanics during these recreational activities were also compared to those experienced during activities of daily living. Motion analysis data were collected as subjects performed walking, stair ascent, stair descent, and either golf or bowling. Knee angles, peak knee moments, and peak ground reaction force were recorded. Comparisons were made between the recreational activity and activities of daily living. Knee flexion angle at peak knee extensor moment during bowling was as high as during stair descent. Peak knee extensor moment was as high during bowling as during stair ascent. For the golf lead knee, knee flexion angle at peak knee extensor moment and peak knee extensor moment were as high as during stair ascent. Peak knee abduction moment, peak knee internal rotation angle, and peak knee external rotation angle for the golf lead knee were larger than all activities of daily living. For the golf trail knee, peak knee external rotation angle was larger than all activities of daily living. These results suggest that the greatest challenge for the knee of healthy older males during bowling is in the sagittal plane. Additionally, these results indicate that golf poses challenges in all three planes for the lead knee and in the transverse plane for the trail knee.