Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 17, 2026
07:42
A Simple Non-invasive Method for Temporary Knockdown of Upper Limb Proprioception
Published on: March 3, 2018
10.1K
Assessing Proprioception: A Systematic Review of Possibilities
Susan Hillier1, Maarten Immink2, Dominic Thewlis2
1University of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia Susan.hillier@unisa.edu.au.
Neurorehabilitation and Neural Repair
|February 26, 2015
Summary
This review assessed tools for measuring proprioception, a key part of motor control. Current methods vary widely, with few having well-reported clinimetric properties for clinical use.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Rehabilitation Science
- Clinical Measurement
Background:
- Proprioception is crucial for motor control and its impairment significantly affects clinical populations.
- Understanding and measuring proprioceptive acuity is vital for effective rehabilitation and clinical assessment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review and identify clinically relevant tools for measuring proprioceptive acuity.
- To classify the underlying constructs measured by these tools.
- To report on the clinimetric properties (validity, reliability, precision) of the identified tools.
Main Methods:
- Systematic literature search of key databases for articles on proprioception measurement tools.
- Screening of 935 initial articles to identify 57 relevant studies.
- Analysis of identified articles to categorize tools, constructs, and clinimetric data.
Main Results:
- 32 distinct tools/methods for quantifying proprioception were identified, showing significant variation in methodology, tested joints, and sampled populations.
- The primary constructs measured were joint position detection (active/passive), followed by motion detection and discrimination.
- Clinimetric properties were generally poorly evaluated or reported; the Rivermead Assessment of Somatosensory Perception showed good validity/reliability but low precision, while high-precision tools may lack clinical feasibility.
Conclusions:
- A wide array of proprioception measurement tools exist, but their clinical utility is hampered by inconsistent methodologies and poor clinimetric reporting.
- Clinicians and researchers can use the review's findings to select appropriate tools, but further research is needed to develop measures with improved validity, precision, and clinical utility.
