Effects of Short-Term Cycling on Knee Joint Proprioception in Healthy Young Persons

Abstract

Background: Criteria are needed for measuring the effects of exercise and fatigue on proprioception.

Purpose: To measure knee joint proprioception in healthy subjects before and after exercise and to establish a reference for further comparisons of patients with knee injuries.

Study Design: Controlled laboratory study.

Methods: We tested proprioception in the knees of 24 healthy subjects with a mean age of 24 years and median Tegner score of 5. Subjects were tested to estimate their thresholds for detecting slow passive motion, from starting positions of 20° and 40° before and after cycling on an ergometer bicycle until the pulse rate reached a steady state level and they reached a score of 14 to 17 on Borg's Ratio of Perceived Exertion scale.

Results: After cycling, significantly higher threshold values were found for perception of movement toward flexion from both 20° and 40°. No significant differences were seen in measurements of movement toward extension.

Conclusions: Knee joint proprioception seems to be impaired by exercise or training.

Clinical Relevance: This impairment may lead to defective dynamic stabilization of the joint, leading to an increased risk of injuries.