Evaluating the neural control of lower-limb muscle activity during walking

Knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is a common cause of disability and pain. There is no cure for KOA, so it is important that we identify treatments that improve quality of life and slow progression of the disease.

During walking, people with KOA have greater activity of the thigh and calf muscles than people without KOA. This persists despite physiotherapy and has been associated with further joint deterioration. However, it is difficult to develop treatments because the cause of the increased muscle activity is not known.

How does this project help?

To identify the cause we need to look at how the brain sends signals down the nerves in the spinal cord to the muscles. This requires experts in the brain, the spinal cord, and muscles, alongside physiotherapists with expertise in KOA. This project brings together these people for the first time at Cardiff University to establish methods to examine how the activity of the thigh and calf muscles is controlled in healthy individuals.

Expected outcomes

The results will show that we are one of the few places in the world that is able to study this, and will allow us to go on to study cause of increased muscle activity during walking in people with KOA.

Funding

This project is funded by Wellcome Trust.

Lead researcher

Research theme