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Proprioception and muscle torque deficits in children with hypermobility syndrome

F Fatoye1, S Palmer, F Macmillan

  • 1Professional Registration Department, School of Health, Psychology and Social Care, Manchester Metropolitan University, Elizabeth Gaskell Campus, Hathersage Road, Manchester M130JA, UK. f.fatoye@mmu.ac.uk

Rheumatology (Oxford, England)
|December 18, 2008
PubMed

Insights

Children with hypermobility syndrome (HMS) exhibit impaired knee joint proprioception and weaker muscles. Early identification of these sensorimotor deficits is crucial for targeted interventions in pediatric populations.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Orthopedics
  • Movement Science
  • Clinical Pediatrics

Background:

  • Hypermobility syndrome (HMS) is more prevalent in children, yet sensorimotor deficits are understudied in this demographic.
  • Previous research indicates sensorimotor impairments in adults with HMS, including proprioception deficits and muscle weakness.
  • The specific sensorimotor deficits present in pediatric HMS populations remain largely uninvestigated.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate knee joint proprioception and muscle torque in children diagnosed with HMS.
  • To compare sensorimotor function between healthy children and those with HMS.
  • To establish baseline data on sensorimotor deficits in pediatric HMS.

Main Methods:

  • Recruited 37 healthy children and 29 children with HMS (mean age ~11.7 years).
  • Assessed knee joint kinaesthesia (JK) and joint position sense (JPS) using absolute angular error (AAE).
  • Measured normalized knee extensor and flexor muscle torque; compared groups using Mann-Whitney U-tests.

Main Results:

  • Children with HMS demonstrated significantly poorer JK and JPS compared to healthy controls (P < 0.001).
  • Significantly reduced knee extensor and flexor muscle torque was observed in children with HMS (P < 0.001).
  • These findings highlight significant sensorimotor impairments in pediatric HMS.

Conclusions:

  • Pediatric HMS is associated with impaired knee joint proprioception.
  • Children with HMS exhibit reduced knee extensor and flexor muscle strength.
  • Clinicians should consider proprioceptive training and muscle strengthening programs for children with HMS.
Abstract

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