The role of weightbearing in the clinical assessment of knee joint position sense

Abstract

Knee joint position sense was assessed by active tests with active limb matching responses in supine lying and in unilateral weightbearing (WB) stance using (re)positioning of the whole limb whilst focusing on the knee, and in supine lying using (re)positioning confined to the knee. Following five tests at approximately 45 degrees knee flexion in all three test conditions, position sense was found to be significantly more accurate and reliable following the WB procedure. Possible explanations are, first, that during WB the subjects were more able to assist identification of the test positions using cues obtained during movement of the knee to and from these positions. Second, a larger volume of proprioceptive afferent information may have been derived from sources outside the examined knee, and even outside the examined limb. Whilst WB joint position sense assessments are more functional, the obtained results may not characterise the capacity of the proprioceptors in and around the examined (knee) joint. Since the WB and NWB results were not correlated, one procedure cannot be used to predict results from the others. Also, predominantly unilateral WB stance is often impractical for subjects with limited balance or WB pain.

Weight-Bearing and Non-Weight Bearing Proprioception Assessment of Dominant and Non-Dominant Lower Limbs in Adult Females

“…The results of the current study are similar to those reported by Ghiasi and Akbari [23] , Stillman and McMeeken [24] , Hyouk…”

Effects of experimentally‐induced anterior knee pain on knee joint position sense in healthy individuals

“…Active ipsilateral matching is a commonly used and accepted method for measuring JPS [20,32]. It has face validity because muscle receptors are the primary contributors to proprioceptive information.…”

“…Knee JPS was examined using ipsilateral active matching under both non-weightbearing (NWB) and single leg weightbearing (We) test conditions [2,32]. The NWB position confines JPS testing to the knee joint while the WB position is more functional.…”

Abnormal knee joint position sense in individuals with patellofemoral pain syndrome

“…Knee JPS was examined under non-weightbearing and uni-and bilateral weightbearing test conditions using validated and reliable protocols [33]. Four reflective markers were fixed with double-sided adhesive tape to the skin of the lateral thigh and leg over the apex of the greater trochanter, iliotibial tract level with the posterior crease of the 80"-flexed knee, neck of the fibula and prominence of the lateral malleolus.…”