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Knee joint proprioception: a comparison between female intercollegiate gymnasts and controls
S M Lephart1, J L Giraldo, P A Borsa
1Neuromuscular Research Laboratory, University of Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA.
Summary
Long-term athletic training significantly enhances knee kinesthesia, the ability to sense passive motion. This improved proprioception in athletes may help protect against reinjury during rehabilitation.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Sports Medicine
- Rehabilitation Science
Background:
- Proprioception's role as a protective mechanism is increasingly recognized.
- Enhancing proprioception is crucial for post-surgery and rehabilitation protocols.
- Kinesthesia, the sense of passive motion, may improve with long-term athletic training.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare knee kinesthetic patterns between trained gymnasts and healthy non-gymnasts.
- To investigate the influence of extensive athletic training on knee proprioception.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a proprioception testing device (PTD) to assess knee kinesthesia.
- Subjects detected passive knee extension from 45 degrees of flexion.
- Compared 15 female gymnasts (mean age 19.3) with 30 healthy controls (mean age 20.7).
Main Results:
- Statistically significant differences in knee kinesthesia were found between groups (F1.34(.95) = 7.17, P = 0.011).
- Trained gymnasts demonstrated enhanced knee kinesthesia compared to the untrained control group.
- Extensive training positively influences knee kinesthesia and muscle tone.
Conclusions:
- Long-term athletic training appears to positively impact knee kinesthesia.
- Highly trained athletes may develop enhanced neurosensory pathways due to training.
- Further prospective studies are needed to confirm the role of athletic training in proprioceptive patterns.