Warm-up effect on active and passive arthrometric assessment of knee laxity.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the influence of a warm-up protocol suitable for use in clinical settings on tibial displacement and muscle activity during arthrometric knee laxity assessment.


METHODS
Intervention study in which the subjects served as their own controls.


METHODS
The Biomechanics Research Laboratory, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia.


METHODS
Ten volunteers who reported no history of knee trauma or disease.


METHODS
A warm-up consisting of 10 minutes of ergometer cycling (60rpm) followed by two sets of three hamstring muscle stretches.


METHODS
Outcome measures were: (1) anterior tibial translation and knee extension force assessed using a Dynamic Cruciate Tester for each subject's right knee during active and passive testing, and (2) intensity of quadriceps and hamstring muscle activity during knee laxity testing.


RESULTS
There was significantly less quadriceps activity after warm-up (t = 2.419, p = .039). However, there was no significant difference between anterior tibial translation, knee extension force, or hamstring muscle activity results before and after warm-up in either active or passive tests.


CONCLUSIONS
A warm-up suitable for use in a clinical setting is not required before arthrometric assessment of knee laxity.
Steele
J R
JR
Department of Biomedical Science, University of Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia.
Milburn
P D
PD
Roger
G J
GJ
D000328:Adult; D001831:Body Temperature; D004576:Electromyography; D005080:Exercise Test; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007593:Joint Instability / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D007719:Knee Joint; D008297:Male; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular