2005 Volume 20 Issue 1 Pages 43-48
In the orthopedics field, gonarthrosis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are often seen as typical pain disorders. Exercises for muscle reinforcement of the lower limbs are often performed as general rehabilitation for patients with knee joint disorder; joint proprioception function (sensation of movements and joint angle) is also important for improving ADL. In this study, we focused on the knee joint in order to reveal the relationship between knee joint proprioception (threshold value and position sensation of the knee joint) and muscle strength around the knee joint (extension and flexion torque of the knee). Considering the actual cases in clinical context, we independently made "a relationship model of muscle deterioration and joint proprioception decline" for considering the effect of muscle deterioration on joint proprioception. The knee joint threshold value and position sensation of 20 limbs of 10 healthy women (average age 19.5 ± 0.5) were measured. Also the muscle force of quadriceps femoris and biceps femoris were measured. We used a machine which was designed and built by ourselves for measurement of the knee joint threshold value and position sensation. The measurement of knee joint proprioception gave a correlation coefficient, r=0.89 (p<0.01), in the relationship between the threshold value and position sensation, and the knee joint torque gave a correlation coefficient, r=0.81 (p<0.01), in the relationship between the extension and flexion torque, revealing strong respective correlations. Also the relationship between knee joint proprioception (the threshold value and position sensation) and knee joint muscle strength (the extension and flexion torque) showed a general negative correlation revealing the possibility that knee joint muscle strength is associated with the knee joint proprioception.
