STUDY DESIGN: A control group cross-sectional design. PURPOSE: To compare the difference in repositioning accuracy, as a measure of lumbar proprioception, between patients with back dysfunction and healthy subjects. OVERVIEW OF LITERATURE: Evidence suggests that spinal stability might be compromised in patients with back dysfunction. Lumbar proprioception in back dysfunction has not, however, been adequately investigated. METHODS: Forty-five participants, representing three groups, took part in the study. Subjects in group one (n = 15) were healthy subjects. Subjects in group two (n = 15) had a history of non-specific mechanical back dysfunction, while subjects in group three (n = 15) had discogenic back dysfunction. Subjects were required to reproduce a target position of 30degrees lumbar flexion and the absolute error (AE) was calculated. RESULTS: The AEs between target and reproduced positions were calculated. The average repositioning AEs were 2.8, 7.5, and 7.1degrees for the control, mechanical, and discogenic back dysfunction groups respectively. Analysis of variance revealed significant difference between the three groups (p < 0.0002). The AEs were greater in the two back dysfunction groups compared to the control group. Post-hoc tests revealed significant difference in AEs between the control and mechanical group (p < 0.0003), and discogenic group (p < 0.0001), while there was no significant difference between the mechanical and discogenic back dysfunction groups (p = 0.73). CONCLUSIONS: Differences in proprioception do exist between subjects with back dysfunction and normal subjects. The proprioceptive deficits do exist regardless of the cause of the back dysfunction, and may represent an important aspect of the patho-physiology of such a condition.
Humans ; Proprioception

PURPOSE: This examined the effect of Kinesio taping pre-intervention on the pain, tenderness, proprioceptive sensation, and muscle strength associated with delayed onset muscle soreness. METHODS: Thirty subjects were divided into a Kinesio taping application group of 15 subjects and a control non-taped group of 15 subjects, and the changes in individual variables were analyzed before taping and at 24, 48, and 72 hours after taping using two-way repeated ANOVA. Post-hoc t-tests were conducted in the cases with intergroup interactions, and the significance level α was set to α=0.01. RESULTS: The changes in pain during rest were significantly different only for the times, while the changes in pain during exercise were significantly different for the times, interactions between the times and groups, and intergroup changes (p<0.05). The changes in tenderness were significantly different for the times and for interactions between the times and groups (p<0.05). The changes in proprioceptive sensation were significantly different for the times, interactions between times and groups, and intergroup changes (p<0.05). The changes in muscle strength were significantly different only for the times (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: The application of Kinesio taping had positive effects on the pain, tenderness, and proprioceptive sensation of delayed onset muscle soreness. These results suggest that Kinesio taping can be a useful therapeutic factor in future studies and in clinical settings.
Muscle Strength ; Myalgia ; Proprioception ; Sensation

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the optimal number of repetition trials and to evaluate the test-retest reliability of passive knee joint position sense test. METHOD: Thirty healthy subjects were tested with isokinetic machine. The knee joints were placed in starting angle of 0degrees for flexion test and 90degrees for extension test. To memorize the target angle, the knees were passively positioned to the target angle (30degrees in flexion test and 60degrees in extension test) and left hold for 10 seconds, and returned to starting position. After these processes, knee joints were passively moved toward target angles. The subjects were instructed to press button when the memorized angles were estimated to be reproduced. The tests were performed 6 times for each test angle. After 48 hours, the tests were repeated. Intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC) were calculated with the values of test and retest. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in absolute angular errors (AAE) between dominant and non-dominant side. The ICC value of above five repetitions of test showed excellent reliability (0.807) whereas three and four repetitions showed moderate reliabilities (0.536~0.709). CONCLUSION: From the results of this study, we suggest that five repetitions of test could be appropriate for the passive joint position sense test.
Joints ; Knee ; Knee Joint ; Proprioception

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the deficit of static and dynamic postural control in patients with chronic ankle sprain using dynamic posturography. METHOD: Twenty patients with unilateral recurrent ankle sprain and functional instability were assessed by Samsung medical center ankle injury score and by computerized dynamic posturography (EquiTest system, Neurocom , international, INC; USA). The posturography test was performed 3 times at 6 different simulated conditions such as fixed of force platform/open eyes/fixed of screen (condition 1), fixed/closed/fixed (condition 2), fixed/open/movement (condition 3), sway/open/fixed (condition 4), sway/closed/fixed (condition 5), sway/open/movement (condition 6). We evaluated anteroposterior sway of center of gravity of the patients and calculated equilibrium scores. We compared the equilibrium scores of patient group and normal data reported previously. We also compared the equilibrium scores of two subgroups of the patients according to severity of ankle injury. RESULTS: Patients showed significantly low equilibrium scores than normal one at the condition 4, 5 and 6 (p<0.05). The group B with severe ankle injury revealed low equilibrium scores at the condition 4, 5 and 6. Especially the group B showed statistically significance at condition 5 (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Patients with chronic ankle sprain showed the deficit of dynamic postural control due to the proprioceptive dysfunction of injured ankle than normal person.
Ankle Injuries* ; Ankle* ; Gravitation ; Humans ; Proprioception

OBJECTIVES: This study evaluated and validated the reliability of smartphones as measuring equipment for the dorsi-plantar flexion of ankle joint position sense (JPS) ability. METHODS: The subjects were 20 healthy young students in their 20s. We confirmed the concurrent validity by comparison with existing electrogoniometer data. The reliability of the smartphone was confirmed using the test-retest method. RESULTS: In the case of dorsiflexion, there was no significant difference between the smartphone and electrogoniometer groups (p > 0.05). Regarding the correlation, it was significantly high (r = 0.65, p < 0.05), and ICC(3,1) was good (ICC(3,1) = 0.79). For the case of plantar flexion, there was no significant difference between the smartphone and electrogoniometer groups (p > 0.05), the correlation was significantly high (r = 0.69, p < 0.05), and the ICC(3,1) was very good (ICC(3,1) = 0.82). In the case of dorsiflexion, there was no significant difference between test and retest (p > 0.05), the correlation was intermediate (r = 0.59, p < 0.05), and the ICC(3,1) value was good (ICC(3,1) = 0.74). For plantar flexion, there was no significant difference between test and retest (p > 0.05), the correlation was significantly high (r = 0.63, p < 0.05), and the ICC(3,1) was good (ICC(3,1) = 0.76). CONCLUSIONS: The results showed that smartphones provide high validity and reliability as measurement equipment for JPS of dorsi-plantar flexion of the ankle. Finally, the study also considers that smartphone-based JPS measuring methods may replace the traditional and expensive methods that are currently being used for the same purpose.
Ankle Joint ; Ankle* ; Humans ; Joints* ; Methods ; Proprioception* ; Reproducibility of Results ; Smartphone*

The purpose of this study was to survey the athletic trainers' recognition, need and evaluation for balance training and to investigate training and evaluation methods in the actual implementation. One hundred fifty trainers were participated in the survey. The study questionnaire of 24 encompassed five separated issues; basic characteristics of trainers, awareness and the need for balance, balance assessment and training content, assessment and training equipment, and education and need. Balance training were recognized as simple balance training in 20.7% of trainers, and as proprioception in 64.9%. Trainers with high needs of balance training were 69.4%. The percentage of trainers with protocol of balance training were 73.9%, and the trainers with complex equipments including software and hardware were 66.7%. Trainers with needs of education for training protocol, theoretical education for balance, and training equipment were 79.3%, 56.8%, and 63.1%. The results showed that educations for concept of balance training and sports injury rehabilitation, and research opportunities had to be provided to athlete trainers. We think that the results of this study can help athlete trainers to apply high-quality sports rehabilitation for athletes.
Athletes ; Athletic Injuries ; Humans ; Proprioception ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Sports

Overdenture is one of the methods of patients with severely worn dentition. Remaining natural teeth help preserve alveolar bone and proprioception and provide rigid support. Also, overdenture distributes the concentrated stress applied to the abutment tooth and denture supporting tissues. There is an advantage that it can provide long-term stability to denture. In this case, the patient with only a few teeth due to severe wear and caries was satisfied with good function and favorable esthetics by using overdenture.
Dentition* ; Denture, Overlay* ; Dentures ; Esthetics ; Humans ; Proprioception ; Tooth

To evaluate the effects on the restoration of proprioception, we compared joint position sense (JPS) after meniscal allograft transplantation. Nine patients who underwent meniscal allograft transplantation between March 2008 and January 2010 were evaluated at preoperation and 6 months post-operation. International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) subjective score and Lysholm score were evaluated. The peak torque of the isokinetic flexor and extensor strength test was performed using Biodex system III. Passive JPS was assessed to evaluate proprioceptive function. In the results, IKDC subjective score and Lysholm score were improved (p=0.05). The flexor and extensor power decreased, however there was no statistically significant difference. In the assessment of JPS, there was improvement from 6.56degrees and 4.11degrees to 4.89degrees and 1.89degrees, however, this was not statistically significant. Although, proprioception was improved in JPS at 6 months after meniscus transplantation, it did not show statistic significance. Therefore, future studies using combined methods will be needed to evaluate proprioceptive function after meniscal allograft transplantation.
Humans ; Joints ; Knee ; Proprioception ; Torque ; Transplantation, Homologous ; Transplants

OBJECTIVE: To investigate and describe the peak plantar pressures and ground contact times of the foot during walking in diabetic patients and healthy adults. METHOD: 17 age-matched diabetic patients without any complications and 33 healthy adults participated in this study. The foot was divided into 10 different areas, and peak plantar pressures and ground contact times were measured during walking by EMED system . RESULTS: There were no significant differences in peak plantar pressures of both feet in both groups, but there were significant increases in peak plantar pressures of hindfoot and hindfoot contact times in the diabetic group. CONCLUSION: Despite having no definite diabetic neuropathy and vascular disease, diabetic patients have higher peak plantar pressures of hindfoot and prolonged hindfoot contact times because limb muscle dysfunction or impairment of proprioception may induce faster descent of the foot towards the ground or improper pattern of stance phases.
Adult* ; Diabetic Angiopathies ; Diabetic Neuropathies ; Extremities ; Foot ; Humans ; Proprioception ; Walking

PURPOSE: Most studies have reported pain in the head-neck and upper-limbs according to smartphone usage, which is related to the proprioception sense in the head and neck, but there have been few studies. Therefore, the aim of this study was identify the adverse effects of the proprioceptive sense in the head-neck according to smartphone usage. METHODS: Twenty-seven young adults (male: 9, female: 18) were enrolled in this study. The proprioceptive sense was measured through the joint reposition sense error and neural positon error in the head-neck during smartphone usage for 0, 5, and 20 minutes. The Noraxon MyoMotion system was used to record the joint position angle and neutral positon in the head-neck. One-way repeated ANOVA was used to identify the differences between the three smartphone use durations and the least-squares difference was used as a post hoc test. The data were analyzed using SPSS 18.0 software. RESULTS: The joint reposition sense error and neural positon error in the head-neck were significantly different among the 0, 5, and 20 minutes of smartphone usage (p < 0.05). In the post hoc test, the joint reposition sense error and neural positon error showed a significant difference between smartphone use for 0 minute and 5 minute, and between smartphone use for 0 minute and 20 minutes. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that smartphone use within 5 minutes can have adverse effects on the proprioceptive sense. Therefore, it is necessary to consider the appropriate use time and break time when using smart phones.
Female ; Head ; Humans ; Joints ; Neck ; Proprioception ; Smartphone* ; Young Adult