Author: Hong Liu1, Xiaolin Chen1, Yaping Li2, Zhen Gao3,4, Wujie Huang5, Zheng Jiang1,3
Affiliation: <sup>1</sup> College of Rehabilitation Medicine, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, China.
<sup>2</sup> Department of Rehabilitation, Fujian Provincial Hospital, Fuzhou, China.
<sup>3</sup> Key Laboratory of Orthopedics & Traumatology of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Rehabilitation, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, China.
<sup>4</sup> The First Clinical Medical College, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, China.
<sup>5</sup> Department of Rehabilitation, Shenzhen Children's Hospital, Shenzhen, China.
Conference/Journal: Res Sports Med
Date published: 2023 May 29
Other:
Special Notes: doi: 10.1080/15438627.2023.2219799. , Word Count: 183
As a complex movement, Tai Chi (TC) could be challenging for knee control, and the compensatory changes in TC biomechanics of knee pain patients are unknown. The Brush Knee and Twist Step (BKTS) is a typical TC movement that involves basic leg motion repeated in the whole TC. This pilot study examined electromyography and retro-reflective marker trajectory data to investigate neuromuscular control strategies of the lower extremity during BKTS in TC practitioners with and without knee pain. Twelve experienced TC practitioners with (n = 6) and without knee pain (n = 6) participated. Our results revealed that knee pain practitioners presented muscle imbalance in the vastus medialis-vastus lateralis and vastus lateralis-biceps femoris, and poor alignment of the knee with the toes in TC lunge. Additionally, they adaptively developed rigid coordination strategies, showing higher levels of lower limb muscle co-contraction and activity compared to controls. Training programs for TC practitioners with knee pain should be designed to modify both abnormal muscle synergy patterns and incorrect lunge during TC, which may improve exercise safety.
Keywords: Tai Chi; biomechanics; brush knee and twist step; knee pain; neuromuscular control.
PMID: 37246805 DOI: 10.1080/15438627.2023.2219799