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Performance in different proprioceptive tests does not correlate in ankles with recurrent sprain
Arienne de Jong1, Sharon L Kilbreath, Kathryn M Refshauge
1School of Physiotherapy, University of Sydney, Lidcombe, NSW, Australia.
Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
|November 8, 2005
Summary
Proprioceptive tests for ankle movement detection and discrimination show poor correlation. Ankle proprioception status cannot be reliably inferred from a single test.
Area of Science:
- Biomechanics
- Motor Control
- Sports Medicine
Background:
- Proprioception, the sense of body position and movement, is crucial for joint stability, particularly at the ankle.
- Recurrent ankle inversion sprains often lead to impaired proprioception, increasing re-injury risk.
- Assessing ankle proprioception typically involves tests like movement detection and discrimination.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between two key proprioceptive tests: movement detection and movement discrimination.
- To determine if performance on one test can predict performance on the other in individuals with recurrent ankle sprains.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted in a research laboratory setting.
- Eighteen participants with a history of recurrent ankle inversion sprains were recruited.
- Movement detection thresholds were assessed at various velocities for inversion and eversion; movement discrimination was tested for plantarflexion and inversion.
Main Results:
- Within-test correlations for movement detection (r=0.53-0.54) and movement discrimination (r=0.49) indicated moderate relationships.
- However, correlations between the two different proprioceptive tests were poor, with values ranging from -0.02 to -0.36 in 10 out of 12 comparisons.
Conclusions:
- Performance across different proprioceptive tests, specifically movement detection and discrimination at the ankle, is not strongly correlated.
- These findings suggest that a comprehensive assessment of ankle proprioception requires more than a single test, as general proprioceptive status cannot be reliably inferred.