Proprioceptive and behavior impairments in individuals with anterior cruciate ligament reconstructed knees.
OBJECTIVE
To assess sensory deficits and their effects on proprioceptive and motor function in patients who had undergone unilateral anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction.


METHODS
Four evaluations were conducted: (1) joint position perception of the knee for predetermined angles (0 degrees, 15 degrees, 30 degrees, 45 degrees, 60 degrees ); (2) threshold for detection of passive knee motion at 0 degrees, 15 degrees, 30 degrees, 45 degrees, and 60 degrees moving into flexion and at 15 degrees, 30 degrees, 45 degrees, and 60 degrees moving into extension; (3) latency onset of hamstring muscles; and (4) postural control during upright double- and single-leg stance.


METHODS
Movement laboratory in Brazil.


METHODS
Ten participants who had surgical reconstruction of the ACL (reconstructed group) and 10 participants without knee injury (control group).


METHODS
Not applicable.


METHODS
Absolute error, angular displacement, hamstring muscles latency, and mean sway amplitude.


RESULTS
Individuals with a reconstructed knee showed decreased joint position perception, a higher threshold for detection of passive knee motion, longer latency of hamstring muscles, and decreased performance in postural control.


CONCLUSIONS
After lesion and ACL reconstruction, sensory and motor behavior changes were still observed. This may be because of the lack of proprioceptive information resulting from the ACL lesion and/or substitution of ACL by the graft.
Bonfim
Thátia R
TR
Laboratório para Estudos do Movimento, Departamento de Educacão Fisica-Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Estadual Paulista, Rio Claro, Brasil. thatiarb@rc.unesp.br
Jansen Paccola
Cleber Antonio
CA
Barela
José A
JA
D000328:Adult; D016118:Anterior Cruciate Ligament / Q000601:surgery*; D000070598:Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries; D001519:Behavior; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004576:Electromyography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007593:Joint Instability / Q000209:etiology / Q000534:rehabilitation* / Q000601:surgery; D007717:Knee / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D007718:Knee Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000534:rehabilitation* / Q000601:surgery; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000502:physiology; D019637:Orthopedic Procedures / Q000379:methods; D011434:Proprioception / Q000502:physiology*; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000379:methods; D012684:Sensory Thresholds / Q000502:physiology