2024 Volume 39 Issue 6 Pages 308-313
[Purpose] High-tibial osteotomy (HTO) is a widely accepted treatment for knee osteoarthritis. Many clinical reports have discussed medial open-wedge HTO (OWHTO) and hybrid closed-wedge HTO (HCWHTO); however, few studies have investigated ankle function after surgery. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the muscle strength of the ankle following OWHTO and HCWHTO and to clarify the characteristics of postoperative muscle recovery. [Participants and Methods] A total of 18 patients with knee osteoarthritis who underwent OWHTO (n=10) or HCWHTO (n=8) were included in the study. Dorsiflexion and plantar flexion strengths of the ankle joint were evaluated preoperatively, and at 3 and 6 months postoperatively. [Results] Dorsiflexion strength did not change after OWHTO, whereas plantar flexion strength significantly increased at 6 months postoperatively. Following HCWHTO, both dorsiflexion and plantar flexion strength decreased at 3 months, without significant differences; however, both significantly increased at 6 months postoperatively. No significant difference in muscle strength was observed between the OWHTO and HCWHTO groups at any time point. [Conclusion] The muscle strength of the ankle showed a steady increase after OWHTO and a V-shaped recovery after HCWHTO. The muscle strength recovery process differed between the two groups; however, no significant differences were observed.
