Objective Assessment of Knee Proprioception and Sensorimotor Function in Patients with Primary Gonarthrosis before and after Knee Replacement

Abstract

The sensorimotor system is a complicated tool allowing for maintaining body balance and responding to changing environmental conditions to prevent injury. It is difficult to objectively assess the function of balance control mechanisms due to the multidimensional nature of the sensorimotor system and multitude of variables that may interfere with the measurement. The function of the sensorimotor system is considerably compromised in osteoarthritis, including gona-rthro-sis. The knee is the second most common location of osteoarthritis, after the hip, and total or partial replacement surgery of the knee joint represents the therapy of choice in advanced stages of the condition. As average life expectancy increases and state-of-the art medical technology develops, the number of total knee replacement surgeries is increasing dramatically and the re-education of the sensorimotor system is of fundamental impo-rtance for restoring function in the patients. This paper describes the current methods for objective assessment of proprioception, sensorimotor function and balance in the knee. The current literature is also reviewed to discuss the use of such examinations in pa-tients with gonarthrosis before and after knee replacement surgery.

Keywords: joint replacement; knee joint; osteoarthritis; proprioception; sensorimotor system.