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Review
. 2023 Oct 19;12(20):6623.
doi: 10.3390/jcm12206623.

Proprioception and Mechanoreceptors in Osteoarthritis: A Systematic Literature Review

Francesca Salamanna  1 , Silvio Caravelli  2 , Laura Marchese  1 , Melania Carniato  1 , Emanuele Vocale  3 , Giammarco Gardini  3 , Giulia Puccetti  3 , Massimiliano Mosca  2 , Gianluca Giavaresi  1
Affiliations
Review

Proprioception and Mechanoreceptors in Osteoarthritis: A Systematic Literature Review

Francesca Salamanna et al. J Clin Med. .

Abstract

Purpose: Osteoarthritis (OA) is one of the most common chronic diseases in the world. It is frequently accompanied by high levels of persistent pain, as well as substantial impairments in function and functional capacity. This review aims to systematically analyze the changes in proprioception and related mechanoreceptors in OA patients.

Methods: Studies from September 2013 to September 2023 were identified by conducting searches on the PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus electronic databases following the PRISMA statement. One reviewer independently assessed and screened the literature, extracted the data, and graded the studies. The body of evidence underwent an evaluation and grading process using the ROBINS-I tool, which was specifically designed to assess the risk of bias in non-randomized studies of interventions. Results were summarized using descriptive methods.

Results: A search through 37 studies yielded 14 clinical studies that were ultimately included. The primary focus of the studies was on the knee joint, particularly the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL). The studies found that PCL in OA patients had impaired proprioceptive accuracy, possibly due to changes in mechanoreceptors (Ruffini, Pacini, and Golgi Mazzoni corpuscles). This suggests that dysfunctional articular mechanoreceptors, especially in severe cases of OA, may contribute to reduced proprioception. Dynamic stabilometry also identified significant proprioceptive deficits in patients with knee articular cartilage lesions, underscoring the impact of such lesions on knee proprioception.

Conclusions: Literature data have shown that proprioceptive accuracy may play an important role in OA, particularly in the knee PCL and cartilage. However, the role of proprioception and related mechanoreceptors needs to be further clarified. Future studies focusing on the relationship between proprioception, OA disease, and symptoms, considering age and gender differences, and exploring OA joints other than the knee should be conducted to improve clinical and surgical outcomes in cases where proprioception and mechanoreceptors are impaired in OA patients.

Keywords: clinical studies; mechanoreceptors; osteoarthritis; proprioception; systematic review.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 3
Figure 3
ROBINS-I tool for assessing risk of bias in non-randomized clinical studies. Green: no risk of bias; Yellow: moderate risk of bias; Red: High risk of bias.
Figure 1
Figure 1
Schematic representation of the potential location of the four (free nerve endings, Ruffini Endings, Pacinian Corpuscles, Golgi Tendon Organs) joint mechanoreceptors. Adapted from Freeman et al. [12].
Figure 2
Figure 2
The PRISMA flow diagram for the systematic review detailing the database searches, the number of abstracts screened, and the full texts retrieved.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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