Experimental study of the biomechanics of osteoarthritis of the knee by pulsed electrical stimulation

IF 3.8 2区工程技术 Q1 ENGINEERING, MECHANICAL

Acta Mechanica Sinica Pub Date : 2025-02-18 DOI:10.1007/s10409-024-24489-x

Yanru Xue (, ), Zekun Hua (, ), Xinqi Lou (, ), Yinuo Zhao (, ), Ying Shen (, ), Meng Zhang (, ), Haoyu Feng (, ), Xiaochun Wei (, ), Yanqin Wang (, ), Xiaogang Wu (, ), Weiyi Chen (, )

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Osteoarthritis is one of the most common joint diseases, leading to joint pain, dysfunction, and a reduced quality of life for patients. Therefore, it is particularly important to explore more effective prevention, treatment and management methods to relieve patients’ pain and enhance their quality of life. Among physical therapies, pulsed electrical stimulation (PES) is considered to be a promising treatment method due to its high safety and ease-of-use features. PES provides a non-invasive, safe and effective option for patients. However, there are fewer studies on the biomechanical changes of PES in periarticular tissues, and its effects on the biological behavior of chondrocytes remain unknown. This study investigated the effects of PES on the biomechanical properties of osteoarthritic joints and the biological behavior of chondrocytes. The results showed that PES with an intensity of 10 mA and a frequency of 4 Hz increased the cross-sectional area of muscle fibers, prevented muscle atrophy and loss of function, and restored the mechanical properties of muscle tissue. PES also effectively increases the resistivity of knee osteoarthritis cartilage tissue, as well as the elastic modulus of cartilage, which can enhance the biomechanical characteristics of cartilage tissue. PES also promoted the metabolic activity of chondrocytes and increased cartilage matrix synthesis, thereby improving the overall structure and mechanical properties of cartilage tissue. Additionally, cellular experiments showed that 5 consecutive days of 800 mV PES significantly increased the expression level of Piezo1 gene in chondrocytes. At the same time, the expression of type II collagen and transforming growth factor beta increased, while the expression of matrix metallopeptidase 13 decreased. These changes favored the promotion of cartilage matrix synthesis. This has a positive effect on protecting and improving joint health and reducing the impact of osteoarthritis, and is important for understanding the mechanism of action of PES on chondrocytes and the development of related therapeutic strategies.

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来源期刊

Acta Mechanica Sinica 物理-工程：机械

CiteScore

5.60

自引率

20.00%

发文量

1807

审稿时长

4 months

期刊介绍： Acta Mechanica Sinica, sponsored by the Chinese Society of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics, promotes scientific exchanges and collaboration among Chinese scientists in China and abroad. It features high quality, original papers in all aspects of mechanics and mechanical sciences. Not only does the journal explore the classical subdivisions of theoretical and applied mechanics such as solid and fluid mechanics, it also explores recently emerging areas such as biomechanics and nanomechanics. In addition, the journal investigates analytical, computational, and experimental progresses in all areas of mechanics. Lastly, it encourages research in interdisciplinary subjects, serving as a bridge between mechanics and other branches of engineering and the sciences. In addition to research papers, Acta Mechanica Sinica publishes reviews, notes, experimental techniques, scientific events, and other special topics of interest. Related subjects » Classical Continuum Physics - Computational Intelligence and Complexity - Mechanics