Warming-up before sporting activity improves knee position sense.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the effects of a warm-up program on knee joint position sense in karatekas.


METHODS
Repeated measures design.


METHODS
Research laboratory.


METHODS
Ten young amateur karatekas (17.6 +/- 4.0 years of age).


METHODS
Knee joint position sense evaluated before and immediately after a warm-up program through active repositioning in open kinetic chain (OKC) and closed kinetic chain (CKC).


RESULTS
At baseline testing no differences were observed between OKC and CKC in absolute (4.1 +/- 1.6 degrees vs. 3.4 +/- 2.0 degrees) and relative angular errors (2.4 +/- 3.4 degrees vs. 2.1 +/- 3.5 degrees). After the warm-up program, a significant decrease in absolute angular error was observed only in CKC (from 3.4 +/- 2.0 degrees to 1.8 +/- 0.5, p < 0.05). Additionally, in CKC the subjects reduced the relative angular error to approximately zero (from 2.1 +/- 3.5 degrees to -0.01 +/- 1.6 degrees) and decreased the variability of the responses, expressed by the decrease in standard deviation of the relative errors.


CONCLUSIONS
The warm-up program enhanced knee joint position sense only in CKC. Since no effects were detected in OKC, the evaluation of the effects of warm-up on knee joint position sense using merely an OKC technique would underestimate the valuable role of warm-up.
Magalhães
Tiago
T
Polytechnic Health Institute of the North, Vale do Sousa Higher School of Health, Department of Physiotherapy, R. Central de Gandra, 1317, 4585-116 Gandra PRD, Portugal. tiago.magalhaes86@gmail.com
Ribeiro
Fernando
F
Pinheiro
Ana
A
Oliveira
José
J
D000293:Adolescent; D015444:Exercise; D006801:Humans; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000502:physiology*; D016139:Martial Arts / Q000502:physiology; D011434:Proprioception / Q000502:physiology; D055815:Young Adult