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. 2014 Oct 22;49(6):613-8.
doi: 10.1016/j.rboe.2014.10.007. eCollection 2014 Nov-Dec.

Proprioceptive deficit in patients with complete tearing of the anterior cruciate ligament

Pedro Godinho  1 , Eduardo Nicoliche  1 , Victor Cossich  1 , Eduardo Branco de Sousa  1 , Bruna Velasques  2 , José Inácio Salles  1
Affiliations

Proprioceptive deficit in patients with complete tearing of the anterior cruciate ligament

Pedro Godinho et al. Rev Bras Ortop. .

Abstract
in English, Portuguese

Objective: To investigate the existence of proprioceptive deficits between the injured limb and the uninjured (i.e. contralateral normal) limb, in individuals who suffered complete tearing of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), using a strength reproduction test.

Methods: Sixteen patients with complete tearing of the ACL participated in the study. A voluntary maximum isometric strength test was performed, with reproduction of the muscle strength in the limb with complete tearing of the ACL and the healthy contralateral limb, with the knee flexed at 60°. The meta-intensity was used for the procedure of 20% of the voluntary maximum isometric strength. The proprioceptive performance was determined by means of absolute error, variable error and constant error values.

Results: Significant differences were found between the control group and ACL group for the variables of absolute error (p = 0.05) and constant error (p = 0.01). No difference was found in relation to variable error (p = 0.83).

Conclusion: Our data corroborate the hypothesis that there is a proprioceptive deficit in subjects with complete tearing of the ACL in an injured limb, in comparison with the uninjured limb, during evaluation of the sense of strength. This deficit can be explained in terms of partial or total loss of the mechanoreceptors of the ACL.

Objetivo: Investigar, por meio do teste de reprodução da força, a existência de déficits proprioceptivos entre o membro lesionado e o não lesionado (i.e., contralateral normal) em indivíduos que tenham sofrido ruptura total de LCA.

Métodos: Participaram do estudo 16 pacientes com ruptura total do LCA. Foi feito o teste de força voluntária máxima isométrica (FVIM) e reprodução da força muscular no membro com ruptura total do LCA e contralateral saudável, com joelho a 60° de flexão. Foi usada a intensidade-meta para o procedimento de 20% da FVMI. O desempenho proprioceptivo foi determinado por meio dos valores de erro absoluto (EA), erro variável (EV) e erro constante (EC).

Resultados: Diferenças significativas foram encontradas entre os grupos controle e LCA para as variáveis erro absoluto (p = 0,05) e erro constante (p = 0,01). Não foi encontrada diferença para o erro variável (p = 0,83).

Conclusão: Nossos dados corroboram a hipótese de existência de déficit proprioceptivo em sujeitos com ruptura total de LCA em um membro lesionado quando comparado com o não lesionado durante a avaliação do senso da força. Esse déficit pode ser explicado por uma perda total ou parcial dos mecanorreceptores do LCA.

Keywords: Anterior cruciate ligament; Knee; Proprioception.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Photo of an individual positioned in the dynamometer.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Graphical representation of the absolute error (AE) results (A) and the constant error (CE) results (B).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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