scholarly journals Assessing Proprioceptive Function: Evaluating Joint Position Matching Methods Against Psychophysical Thresholds

2014 ◽  
Vol 94 (4) ◽  
pp. 553-561 ◽  
Author(s):  
Naveen Elangovan ◽  
Amanda Herrmann ◽  
Jürgen Konczak
Keyword(s):  
Position Sense ◽  
Matching Task ◽  
Joint Position ◽  
Active Motion ◽  
Matching Methods ◽  
Position Errors ◽  
Orthopedic Injury ◽  
Threshold Testing ◽  
Opposite Limb ◽  
Proprioceptive Function

Background The importance of assessing proprioceptive function for rehabilitation after neurological or orthopedic injury has long been recognized. Yet, neither the validity nor the accuracy of the available tests is firmly established. Testing typically involves repeated matching of a given joint position with the same or opposite limb where the difference between the 2 positions indicates proprioceptive acuity. Objectives The aim of this study was to compare position sense acuity between ipsilateral and contralateral matching methods against a psychophysical threshold method to establish the accuracy and relationships between these models. Design A repeated-measures design was used. Method Assessment of forearm position sense for a 10-degree reference position in 27 young adults who were healthy. Results Psychophysical thresholds were revealed to be the most precise and least variable acuity measure. The mean (±SD) threshold (1.05°±0.47°) was significantly lower than mean position errors obtained by both joint position matching tasks (ipsilateral: 1.51°±0.64°; contralateral: 1.84°±0.73°)—a 44% to 75% difference in measurement accuracy. Individual participant position errors correlated poorly with respective thresholds, indicating a lack of concurrent validity. Position errors for both matching methods correlated only mildly with each other. Limitations The data represent performance of a healthy, young adult cohort. Differences between methods will likely be more pronounced in aging and clinical populations. Conclusions Threshold testing and joint position matching methods examine different physiological aspects of proprioceptive function. Because threshold testing is based on passive motion, it most closely reflects afferent sensory feedback processing (ie, proprioception). Matching methods require active motion and are consequently influenced by additional sensorimotor processes. Factors such as working memory and transmission between brain hemispheres also influence joint matching task outcomes.

scholarly journals A comparison of the proprioception of osteoarthritic knees and post total knee arthroplasty

2017 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
pp. 781
Author(s):  
Cherith Reddy Chillakuru ◽  
N. Jambu ◽  
Akshay Deepak
Keyword(s):  
Knee Replacement ◽  
Position Sense ◽  
Joint Position Sense ◽  
Subjective Feeling ◽  
Joint Position ◽  
Passive Motion ◽  
Osteoarthritic Knee ◽  
The Status ◽  
Total Knee ◽  
Proprioceptive Function

<p class="abstract"><strong>Background:</strong> Proprioception of the knee joint is an important factor for establishing balance, and smooth walking. The effect of arthroplasty on proprioception can be a determinant of post-operative function and subjective feeling of the arthroplasty. We wished to check the status of osteoarthritic knees and how their proprioceptive function is, in comparison to knees post total knee replacement.</p><p class="abstract"><strong>Methods:</strong> We compared 80 unilateral knee replacement patients with their osteoarthritic counterpart in the opposite knee. There was 50% Cruciate Retaining (n =40), Posterior Stabilized 50% (n =40). We assessed the proprioception using threshold to detection of passive motion and conscious awareness of passive joint position.<strong></strong></p><p class="abstract"><strong>Results:</strong> 73.8% (n =59) of patients experienced a better joint position sense, 21% (n =17) had decreased joint position sense and 5% (n =4) had the same, when compared to the contralateral osteoarthritic knee. The mean of threshold to detection of passive motion was 2.16+0.68 for the replaced knees versus 2.72±0.61 for the contralateral osteoarthritic knee.</p><p class="abstract"><strong>Conclusions:</strong> The proprioception of the knees that were replaced with arthroplasties had a better proprioceptive function then the osteoarthritic knees. This further solidifies the reasons to replace the dysfunctional osteoarthritic knee. </p>

Benefits of active motion for joint position sense

2005 ◽  
Vol 14 (6) ◽  
pp. 564-570 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Friemert ◽  
C. Bach ◽  
W. Schwarz ◽  
H. Gerngross ◽  
R. Schmidt
Keyword(s):  
Position Sense ◽  
Joint Position Sense ◽  
Joint Position ◽  
Active Motion

scholarly journals Effects of side-dominance on knee joint proprioceptive target-matching asymmetries

2018 ◽  
Vol 105 (3) ◽  
pp. 257-265 ◽  
Author(s):  
K Galamb ◽  
B Szilágyi ◽  
OM Magyar ◽  
T Hortobágyi ◽  
R Nagatomi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Knee Joint ◽  
Right Hemisphere ◽  
Position Sense ◽  
Matching Task ◽  
Isokinetic Dynamometer ◽  
Absolute Position ◽  
Position Errors ◽  
Side Dominance ◽  
Target Matching ◽  
Hemisphere Specialization

Aims Right- and left-side-dominant individuals reveal target-matching asymmetries between joints of the dominant and non-dominant upper limbs. However, it is unclear if such asymmetries are also present in lower limb’s joints. We hypothesized that right-side-dominant participants perform knee joint target-matching tasks more accurately with their non-dominant leg compared to left-side-dominant participants. Methods Participants performed position sense tasks using each leg by moving each limb separately and passively on an isokinetic dynamometer. Results Side-dominance affected (p < 0.05) knee joint absolute position errors only in the non-dominant leg but not in the dominant leg: right-side-dominant participants produced less absolute position errors (2.82° ± 0.72°) with the non-dominant leg compared to left-side-dominant young participants (3.54° ± 0.33°). Conclusions In conclusion, right-side-dominant participants tend to perform a target-matching task more accurately with the non-dominant leg compared to left-side-dominant participants. Our results extend the literature by showing that right-hemisphere specialization under proprioceptive target-matching tasks may be not evident at the lower limb joints.

Assessment of the Impact of Kinesiology Taping Application Versus Placebo Taping on the Knee Joint Position Sense. Preliminary Report

2018 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 139-148 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Hadamus ◽  
Marta Grabowicz ◽  
Patryk Wąsowski ◽  
Anna Mosiołek ◽  
Dariusz Boguszewski ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Placebo Group ◽  
Knee Joint ◽  
Quadriceps Muscle ◽  
Position Sense ◽  
Joint Position Sense ◽  
Healthy People ◽  
Wilcoxon Test ◽  
Joint Position ◽  
Active Motion ◽  
The Impact

Background. Kinesiology Taping is a very popular physiotherapy method. It is used in both healthy people and orthopaedic patients in order to relieve pain, increase range of motion and for other purposes. Many researchers claim that these applications will also improve proprioception and sensorimotor efficiency, which are important for recovery after injuries and orthopaedic surgeries, especially on the knee joint. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of the muscle application of Kinesiology Taping on knee joint position sense in active motion. Material and methods. The study involved 50 healthy people (30 men and 20 women). Mean age was 23.2 years (range 18-30 years). The exclusion criteria were past knee injuries and knee surgery that could affect the test results. The participants were divided randomly into two equal groups. The first group (KT group) had a Kinesiology Taping muscle application placed, whereas a placebo application of an adhesive tape was used in the remaining participants (placebo group). Both applications were supposed to support quadriceps muscle activity. Joint position sense (JPS) was evaluated by measuring the error of active reproduction of the joint position (EARJP) of the knee in 45° flexion. The test was performed prior to applying the patch, after the patch was applied, then after 24 hours of wearing it and after removing the tape. The interval between trials before and after application of the patch was not less than 30 minutes. Statistical analysis was performed using Statistica 12.0. Distribution characteristics were calculated and the Wilcoxon test, Friedman‘s ANOVA and Mann-Whitney U test were performed. Results. The average test scores of JPS in the KT group and the placebo group before applying the KT patch were 3.48° and 5.16° respectively, compared to 4.84° and 4.88°, respectively, with the patch on, 5.12° and 4.96°, respectively, after 24 hours of wearing the tape, and 3.84° and 5.12°, respectively, after removing the patch. Within-group differences at any two time points were not statistically significant. There were also no significant differences between the groups. Conclusions. 1. Kinesiology Taping application to the quadriceps muscle had no significant effect on knee joint proprioception. Its use in order to improve sensorimotor skills therefore seems unreasonable. 2. The results are the basis for future prospective, randomised trials of larger experimental groups and involving the use of other Kinesiology Taping applications as well as including individuals with lesions of knee joint structures.

scholarly journals Inter-joint coupling of position sense reflects sensory contributions of biarticular muscles

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Troy M. Herter ◽  
Isaac L. Kurtzer ◽  
Lauren M. Granat ◽  
Frédéric Crevecoeur ◽  
Sean P. Dukelow ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Human Subjects ◽  
Sensory Information ◽  
Position Sense ◽  
Matching Task ◽  
Limb Position ◽  
Arm Position ◽  
Joint Coupling ◽  
Position Errors ◽  
Biarticular Muscles ◽  
Joint Coordinates

Perception of limb position and motion combines sensory information from spindles in muscles that span one joint (monoarticulars) and two joints (biarticulars). This anatomical organization should create interactions in estimating limb position. We developed two models, one with only monoarticulars (MO Model) and one with monoarticulars and biarticulars (MB Model), to explore how biarticulars influence estimates of arm position in hand (x,y) and joint (shoulder,elbow) coordinates. In hand coordinates, both models predicted larger medial-lateral than proximal-distal errors, though the MB Model predicted that biarticulars would reduce this bias. In contrast, the two models made significantly different predictions in joint coordinates. The MO Model predicted that errors would be uniformly distributed because estimates of angles at each joint would be independent. In contrast, the MB Model predicted that errors would be coupled between the two joints, resulting in smaller errors for combinations of flexion or extension at both joints and larger errors for combinations of flexion at one joint and extension at the other joint. We also carried out two experiments to examine errors made by human subjects during an arm position matching task in which an robot passively moved one arm to different positions and the subjects moved their other arm to mirror-match each position. Errors in hand coordinates were similar to those predicted by both models. Critically, however, errors in joint coordinates were only similar to those predicted by the MB Model. These results highlight how biarticulars influence perceptual estimates of limb position by helping to minimize medial-lateral errors.

Effect of eccentric exercise on position sense at the human forearm in different postures

2006 ◽  
Vol 100 (4) ◽  
pp. 1109-1116 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. D. Walsh ◽  
T. J. Allen ◽  
S. C. Gandevia ◽  
U. Proske
Keyword(s):  
Eccentric Exercise ◽  
Human Subjects ◽  
Vertical Plane ◽  
Positional Information ◽  
Position Sense ◽  
Matching Task ◽  
Position Errors ◽  
Before And After ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Minimal Effort

This is a study of the ability of blindfolded human subjects to match the position of their forearms before and after eccentric exercise. The hypothesis tested was that the sense of effort contributed to forearm position sense. The fall in force after the exercise was predicted to alter the relationship between effort and force and thereby induce position errors. In the arms-in-front posture, subjects had their unsupported reference arm set to one of two angles from the horizontal, 30 or 60°, and they matched its position by voluntary placement of their other arm. Matching errors were compared with a task where the arms were counterweighted, so could be moved in the vertical plane with minimal effort, and where the arms were moved in the horizontal plane. In these latter two tasks, the intention was to test whether removal of an effort sensation from holding the arm against gravity influenced matching performance. It was found that, although absolute errors for counterweighted and horizontal matching were no larger than for unsupported matching, their standard deviations, 6.1 and 6.8°, respectively, were significantly greater than for unsupported matching (4.6°), indicating more erratic matching. The eccentric exercise led, the next day, to a fall in maximum voluntary muscle torque of ≥15%. This was accompanied by a significant increase in matching errors for the unsupported matching task from 2.7 ± 0.5 to 0.8 ± 0.7° but not for counterweighted (1.4 ± 0.2 to −0.2°± 1.1°) or horizontal matching (−1.3 ± 0.7° to −1.8 ± 0.7°). This, it is postulated, is because the reduced voluntary torque after exercise was accompanied by a greater effort required to support the arms, leading to larger matching errors. However, effort is only able to provide positional information for unsupported matching where gravity plays a role. In gravity-neutral tasks like counterweighted or horizontal matching, a change in the effort-force relationship after exercise leaves matching accuracy unaffected.

The Analysis of Proprioception Alteration during First Five Months after Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction

2018 ◽  
Vol 1 (84) ◽  
Author(s):  
Vilma Jurevičienė ◽  
Albertas Skurvydas ◽  
Juozas Belickas ◽  
Giedra Bušmanienė ◽  
Dovilė Kielė ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Anterior Cruciate Ligament ◽  
Angular Velocity ◽  
Knee Joint ◽  
Cruciate Ligament ◽  
Position Sense ◽  
Joint Position Sense ◽  
Joint Position ◽  
Starting Position ◽  
Angular Velocities ◽  
Anterior Cruciate

Research  background  and  hypothesis.  Proprioception  is  important  in  the  prevention  of  injuries  as  reduced proprioception  is  one  of  the  factors  contributing  to  injury  in  the  knee  joint,  particularly  the  ACL.  Therefore, proprioception appears not only important for the prevention of ACL injuries, but also for regaining full function after ACL reconstruction.Research aim. The aim of this study was to understand how proprioception is recovered four and five months after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction.Research methods. The study included 15 male subjects (age – 33.7 ± 2.49 years) who had undergone unilateral ACL reconstruction with a semitendinosus/gracilis (STG) graft in Kaunas Clinical Hospital. For proprioceptive assessment, joint position sense (JPS) was measured on both legs using an isokinetic dynamometer (Biodex), at knee flexion of 60° and 70°, and at different knee angular velocities of 2°/s and 10°/s. The patients were assessed preoperatively and after 4 and 5 months, postoperatively.Research results. Our study has shown that the JPS’s (joint position sense) error scores  to a controlled active movement is significantly higher in injured ACL-deficient knee than in the contralateral knee (normal knee) before surgery and after four and five months of rehabilitation.  After 4 and 5 months of rehabilitation we found significantly lower values in injured knees compared to the preoperative data. Our study has shown that in injured knee active angle reproduction errors after 4 and 5 months of rehabilitation were higher compared with the ones of the uninjured knee. Proprioceptive ability on the both legs was  independent of all differences angles for target and starting position for movement. The knee joint position sense on both legs depends upon the rate of two different angular velocities and the mean active angle reproduction errors at the test of angular velocity slow speed was the highest compared with the fast angular velocity. Discussion and conclusions. In conclusion, our study shows that there was improvement in mean JPS 4 and 5 months after ACL reconstruction, but it did not return to normal indices.Keywords: knee joint, joint position sense, angular velocity, starting position for movement.

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