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Clinical measurements of proprioception, muscle strength and laxity in relation to function in the ACL-injured knee

  • Knee
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Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy Aims and scope

Abstract

A knee injury with anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture may cause deficits in proprioception, increased laxity and decreased muscle strength. Although it may be common knowledge that these factors affect knee function, only a few studies have been performed where this has been investigated in the clinical situation, and the results are not conclusive. The purpose of this study was therefore to investigate how and to what extent proprioception, laxity and strength affect knee joint function and evaluate if the methods commonly used for estimating these factors clinically seem to be relevant. The study encompassed 36 patients with ACL deficiency. A single-leg hop test for distance and subjective rating of knee function were defined as dependent variables and analyzed separately in stepwise linear regression models where proprioception, knee joint laxity, hamstrings and quadriceps strength, age and sex were defined as independent variables. Higher threshold values (poorer proprioception), increased side-to-side difference of anterior laxity and poorer strength significantly predicted shorter length of the hop test. Higher rating of subjective function corresponded to female gender, lesser side-to-side difference of anterior laxity and better proprioception.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Mats Christensson, Department of Medical Technology, for his construction of the apparatus used, all the subjects who volunteered to take part in the study, Ass. Prof. Per-Erik Isberg for statistical advice. Financial support from Medicinska forskningsrådet, project no. 09509, Stiftelsen för Bistånd åt Vanföra i Skåne, Syskonen Persson’s Donation fund, Svenska Sällskapet för Medicinsk Forskning, Thyr och Thure Stenemark’s Fund, Centrum för Idrottsforskning, the Swedish Society of Medicine, the National Board of Health and Welfare and the Faculty of Medicine, Lund University is gratefully acknowledged.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Orthopedics, University Hospital, 221 85, Lund, Sweden

    D. Roberts & T. Fridén

  2. Department of Physical Therapy, University Hospital, 221 85, Lund, Sweden

    E. Ageberg

  3. Department of Neurophysiology, University Hospital, 221 85, Lund, Sweden

    G. Andersson

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  1. D. Roberts
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  2. E. Ageberg
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  3. G. Andersson
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  4. T. Fridén
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Correspondence to D. Roberts.

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Roberts, D., Ageberg, E., Andersson, G. et al. Clinical measurements of proprioception, muscle strength and laxity in relation to function in the ACL-injured knee. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthr 15, 9–16 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00167-006-0128-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00167-006-0128-4

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