The quadriceps-angle (Q-angle) and the ratio of hamstring/quadriceps (H/Q) are important for the stability of the knee and for protection from excessive stress. The aim of this study was to examine the association between Q-angle and H/Q ratio with and without knee osteoarthritis. We compared knee osteoarthritis patients with symptom-free women. The mean age of the patients in the arthritis group (25 women, osteoarthritis) was 59.7 years. The non-arthritis group consisted of 25 women with a mean age of 55.2 years. Of the 25 women with osteoarthritis, 5 had the condition in their left knee, 5 had it in their right knee, and 15 had it on both sides. There was no significant difference in the knee Q-angle of the left and right knees of the arthritis group and the non-arthritis-group (p>.05). The strength of all the muscles around the involved right knee in the arthritis group was significantly weaker than that of the non-arthritis group (p<.05). However, in the left knee, only the strength of the knee extensors and internal rotators was significantly weaker than that of the non-arthritis group (p<.05). The Q-angle was not associated with the H/Q ratio and internal rotators/external rotators ratio of the involved knee in the arthritis group (p>.05). Neither was the Q-angle associated with the pain level of an involved knee in the arthritis group (p>.05). The knee pain was not associated with the H/Q ratio of the involved knee in the arthritis group (p>.05). The Q-angle was not associated with the ratio of H/Q and pain level of the involved knee in the osteoarthritis women.

The quadriceps angle (Q angle) has been used to reflect the quadriceps muscle's force on the patella in the frontal plane. Previous investigations of the Q angle and it's relationship to knee disorders have yield equivocal results. The purpose of this study was to analyze the factors related to the Q angle and it's relation to other variables such as leg length, body weight, CTA (calcaneus to tibia angle), TOA (toe out angle), and pelvic width in normal subjects. The participants were 60 students (30 men and 30 women) who had no orthopedic and neurological impairments, aged from 20 to 29 years of age, with an average age of 22.1 years. Prior to participation, each subject was informed of the procedures of the experiment from a researcher and assistant researchers. The equipment used in this study were modified standard goniometer, ruler, marking pen, and Martin apparatus for pelvic width. In order to determine the statistical significance of the experiment, regression analysis, independent t-test, and Pearson correlation were used at the 0.05 level. The results were as follows: 1) It was found that the Q angle of women is greater than that of men's from both knees. 2) There was no significant difference between right and left quadriceps angle. 3) The Q angle decreased as the body weight (leg length) shifted from low to high. 4) It seems that factors related to the Q angle were body weight, CTA, and pelvic width, but there was no significant difference at the 0.05 level.