The effects of a neoprene knee sleeve on subjects with a poor versus good joint position sense subjected to an isokinetic fatigue protocol.
OBJECTIVE
It has been shown that muscle fatigue has a negative influence on proprioception. Several studies already have demonstrated improvement of proprioception by using knee sleeves.


OBJECTIVE
Neoprene knee sleeves have different effects on the joint position sense in locally fatigued subjects with good or poor proprioceptive acuity.


METHODS
A true experimental design with random assignment to intervention and control limbs.


METHODS
Military hospital, department of physical medicine and rehabilitation.


METHODS
Sixty-four healthy subjects.


METHODS
All subjects underwent four consecutive assessments of the same active joint-repositioning test under different conditions (braced, nonbraced, fatigued, and nonfatigued).


METHODS
A three-way analysis of variance with repeated-measures design was conducted to investigate the effects of side (braced versus control side), assessment sequence (one to four), and proprioceptive acuity ("good" versus "poor"), and their interactive effect on the joint position sense.


RESULTS
Post hoc analysis revealed that only subjects with "poor" proprioceptive acuity benefit from the braced condition before the isokinetic fatigue protocol (P < 0.001). In contrast, all subjects benefit from the braced condition after the fatigue test.


CONCLUSIONS
Bracing is helpful in individuals with a poor baseline proprioceptive acuity in both fatigued and nonfatigued states. Subjects with a good joint position sense benefit from bracing only when in a fatigued state. The present findings suggest a rationale for using neoprene knee sleeves as a preventative measure or treatment in subjects and patients to enhance proprioceptive acuity in a fatigued state. Classification into "poor" and "good" proprioceptive acuity is only relevant in the nonfatigued condition.
Tiggelen
Damien Van
DV
Department of Traumatology and Rehabilitation, Military Hospital of Base Queen Astrid, Belgian Ministry of Defense, Brussels, Belgium. damien.vantiggelen@mil.be
Coorevits
Pascal
P
Witvrouw
Erik
E
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000886:Anthropometry; D001530:Belgium; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007595:Joint Prosthesis; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008889:Military Personnel; D018763:Muscle Fatigue; D011187:Posture / Q000502:physiology; D011434:Proprioception / Q000502:physiology