Abstract
Knee osteoarthritis (KOA) involves early biomechanical alterations in lower-limb loading, gait, and dynamic balance. Adding cognitive tasks during movement may reveal balance control deficits undetected in single-task assessments. This study aims to investigate the impact of dual-task cognitive interference on dynamic balance and ground reaction forces (GRFs) in individuals with early KOA compared to healthy controls. In this biomechanical design, individuals with early KOA and matched controls perform dynamic balance tasks under single-task and dual-task conditions, incorporating cognitive tasks like serial subtraction or verbal fluency. Force platforms measure primary outcomes, including center-of-pressure displacement and velocity, peak vertical GRF, loading rates, and propulsive forces, alongside calculated dual-task costs. It is hypothesized that early KOA participants will display greater balance deterioration and altered GRFs during dual-task conditions than controls. Identifying these cognitive-motor interference deficits could enhance early risk detection for joint instability and mobility decline beyond conventional single-task evaluations.
