Proprioceptive sensitivity and performance in anterior cruciate ligament‐deficient knee joints

Abstract

We studied the performance and proprioception of the knee joint in a group of non-reconstructed anterior cruciate ligament (ACL)-deficient (n=20) patients and compared them with a group of ACL-reconstructed patients (n=18) and a group of healthy controls (n=20). Each patient was scored according to Lysholm and Tegner and was then asked to subjectively evaluate the performance of the injured knee and the degree of retropatellar discomfort. The knee joint laxity was measured. The performance was assessed based on the performance in a triple jump test and a one-leg one-step leap test. The proprioception in the knee was measured as the threshold when passive movement was detected and as the ability to reproduce a flexion angle from a start position of 60 degrees of flexion or from full extension of the knee. All tests were performed on both legs. The scoring systems and the subjective evaluation showed significant differences between the reconstructed and the non-reconstructed patients. No significant difference in knee joint laxity was found between the two groups. In the triple jump test and the one-step leap test, both groups performed significantly worse on the leg with the injured knee joint than on the non-injured leg. The proprioceptive tests showed decreased ability to recognize and reproduce a prior angle from a start position of 60 degrees. The threshold to detection of passive movement with the injured knee was significantly increased in both groups of patients. No difference was found between the dominant and non-dominant knee in the control group. When reproduction of the same angles started from full extension, the groups did not differ. These data show that decreased performance and changes in the proprioception of the knee joint accompany ACL rupture.

Muscle Latency and Proprioception in Non-Dominant and Dominant Legs of Healthy Sedentary Individuals

“…Aydın et al (46) also observed no significant differences between nondominant and dominant ankles with respect to the ability to sense passive movement and the active angle-reproduction test results in sedentary subjects, who were included in the study as a control group. Our results correlate with the results of these studies, with no differences found between the limbs with respect to joint position sense and kinesthesia (45,46) in active individuals [teenage female gymnasts (46), a mixed group of male and female elite athletes (22,23), and female handball players (47)]. Interestingly, there were also no differences between the ankle joints with respect to joint position sense.…”

“…There are few studies that have investigated differences in proprioceptive ability (joint position sense or kinesthesia) between the non-dominant and dominant legs of healthy sedentary individuals (45,46). Fischer-Rasmussen et al (45) performed angle reproduction and detection of passive movement tests of the knee joints in healthy sedentary individuals.…”

“…Fischer-Rasmussen et al (45) performed angle reproduction and detection of passive movement tests of the knee joints in healthy sedentary individuals. They could not present significant differences between the non-dominant and dominant limbs with respect to the ability to reproduce an angle to a certain position and detect passive movement.…”

Rapid repetitive passive movement promotes knee proprioception in the elderly

“…Small-angle differences with statistical significance were also found in other studies. For example, Fischer-Rasmussen and Jensen [5] and Pap et al [29] both investigated anterior cruciate ligament injured knee versus normal knee and found significant differences in joint angle of around ±1°between the injured and the normal knees. As for functional relevance, Tsang and Hui-Chan [33] detected a small difference of 1.9°in knee joint repositioning between their tai-chi practitioners (M=69.4 years, SD=5.5) and the control (M=72.3 years, SD=6.1).…”

“…Informed consent All procedures followed were in accordance with the ethical standards of the responsible committee on human experimentation (institutional and national) and with the Helsinki Declaration of 1975, as revised in 2000 (5). Informed consent was obtained from all patients for being included in the study.…”