COMPARISON OF THE PROPRIOCEPTIVE PERCEPTION OF KNEE JOINT MOVEMENT, IN FIVE DIFFERENT ANGULAR VELOCITIES

A. Kellari¹, E. Papadimou¹, E. Papapostolou¹, Z. Dimitriadis¹, A. Kanellopoulos¹

¹University of Thessaly, Physiotherapy, Lamia, Greece

Background: Proprioception is a substantial factor in balance, coordination, joint stability and movement acuity. A significant volume of knowledge has been built regarding the "joint position sense (JPS)” and the “movement detection sense”, whereas only a few studies have been conducted and very little is known about the “joint velocity sense”. Different techniques and study designs have been used to enhance the understanding of how the “joint velocity sense” works but none of these explored the spectrum of velocities inside which the brain tends to learn better the human motion. The joint angular velocity(-ies) that is more accurately reproduced and therefore more comprehensible by the human’s brain could be used as gold standard and lead to the development of more robust protocols to farther assess the “joint velocity sense”. Moreover, it would be a fundamental factor in exercise rehabilitation protocols design and contribute to in-depth understanding of motor control and motor learning.

Purpose: The investigation of the knee angular velocity that the human brain can sense and reproduce with the smallest error and therefore may be more promising in motor learning rehabilitation protocols.

Methods: 20 healthy subjects with average age of 22.7 years (±4.73) participated in the present study. Velocity replication assessed in the knee joint within the ROM of 90°-0° across a spectrum of 5 different velocities (2°/s, 5°/s, 10°/s, 20°/s and 30°/s) by using concentric quadriceps contraction. For all the measurements the Biodex System 3 pro Isokinetic Dynamometer was used. The order of the tested velocities was randomized and both the subjects and the examiners were blind. The participant’s leg was moved passively to demonstrate the target velocity followed by an active replication. Participants were blindfolded and the procedure took place in a peaceful environment.

Results: The average percentage error deviation from the target velocity showed non-significant statistical difference between the velocity tests of 2°/s and 5°/s (Τ=99.5, r=0.03, p=0.856). There were statistically significant differences of this variable among all the other velocities. Placing the average percentage error deviation in descending order, the highest error reported at the velocity of 2°/s (51.33%), followed by the velocities of 20°/s (30.51%), 30°/s (28.39%), 5°/s (25.24%), and 10°/s (23.92%). The smallest variation is noted at the velocity test 10°/s.

Conclusions: In the spectrum from very low (2°/s) to low (30°/s) joint angular velocities, the velocity of 10°/s seems to be easier to understood and reproduced by the human brain. Higher velocity replication error reported in the very low velocities than in upper low ones, probably because are less common in everyday life. Future research is recommended to examine the proprioceptive perceptual pattern of angular velocity in the knee joint in the spectrum of higher velocities.

Implications: The findings of the present research would contribute to learning in-depth this proprioception’s aspect of motor control, and therefore to design more specialized rehabilitation tools. However, in smaller joints, with different kinematic and kinetic characteristics, the results may differ.

Funding acknowledgements: None

Keywords:
Proprioception
Velocity sense
Velocity replication

Topics:
Musculoskeletal
Musculoskeletal: lower limb
Neurology

Did this work require ethics approval? Yes

Institution: University of Thessaly

Committee: Human Ethics Committee

Ethics number: 8321/ΣΕ1/15-6-2022