The effect of muscle fatigue on proprioceptive accuracy following knee injury

Abstract

This study investigated the effects of muscle fatigue on the proprioceptive accuracy of knee injured and surgical individuals. Ss were 18 control, 17 knee injured without surgery and 14 knee injured with surgery. Average time post-trauma for the non-surgical knee injured Ss was 11.3 months and 11.5 months for surgical knee Ss. All Ss were randomly tested on two separate occasions with either rest or fatigue treatment. at least 24 but not more than 48 hours was required between testings. One testing consisted of knee angle teaching followed by pre-rest angle measurements, the rest treatment and then post-rest angle measurements. The other testing consisted of knee angle teaching, pre-fatigue angle measurements, the fatigue treatment performed on the Cybex II isokinetic dynamometer, and post-fatigue angle measurements. Two angles were tested for knee replication, 30 and 60 degrees. The Ss were blindfolded during knee angle teaching and also during pre- and post-angle replications to determine proprioceptive accuracy.