Position Sense (position + sense)

Distribution by Scientific Domains

Kinds of Position Sense

  • joint position sense


  • Selected Abstracts


    Evidence from proprioception of fusimotor coactivation during voluntary contractions in humans

    EXPERIMENTAL PHYSIOLOGY, Issue 3 2008
    Trevor J. Allen
    In experiments on position sense at the elbow joint in the horizontal plane, blindfolded subjects were required to match the position of one forearm (reference) by placement of their other arm (indicator). Position errors were measured after conditioning elbow muscles of the reference arm with an isometric contraction while the arm was held either flexed or extended. The difference in errors after the two forms of conditioning was large when the conditioned muscles remained relaxed during the matching process and it became less when elbow muscles were required to lift a load during the match (10 and 25% of maximal voluntary contraction, respectively). Errors from muscle conditioning were attributed to signals arising in muscle spindles and were hypothesized to result from the thixotropic property of passive intrafusal fibres. Active muscle does not exhibit thixotropy. It is proposed that during a voluntary contraction the errors after conditioning are less, because the spindles become coactivated through the fusimotor system. The distribution of errors is therefore seen to be a reflection of fusimotor recruitment thresholds. For elbow flexors most, but not all, fusimotor fibres appear to be recruited by 10% of a maximal contraction. [source]


    Retraining cervical joint position sense: The effect of two exercise regimes

    JOURNAL OF ORTHOPAEDIC RESEARCH, Issue 3 2007
    Gwendolen Jull
    Abstract This study compared the effects of conventional proprioceptive training and craniocervical flexion (C-CF) training on cervical joint position error (JPE) in people with persistent neck pain. The aim was to evaluate whether proprioceptive training was superior in improving proprioceptive acuity compared to another form of exercise, which has been shown to be effective in reducing neck pain. This may help to differentiate the mechanisms of effect of such interventions. Sixty-four female subjects with persistent neck pain and deficits in JPE were randomized into two exercise groups: proprioceptive training or C-CF training. Exercise regimes were conducted over a 6-week period, and all patients received personal instruction by an experienced physiotherapist once per week. A significant pre- to postintervention decrease in JPE, neck pain intensity, and perceived disability was identified for both the proprioceptive training group (p,<,0.001) and the C-CF training group (p,<,0.05). Patients who participated in the proprioceptive training demonstrated a greater reduction in JPE from right rotation compared to the C-CF training group (p,<,0.05). No other significant differences were observed between the two groups. The results demonstrated that both proprioceptive training and C-CF training have a demonstrable benefit on impaired cervical JPE in people with neck pain, with marginally more benefit gained from proprioceptive training. The results suggest that improved proprioceptive acuity following intervention with either exercise protocol may occur through an improved quality of cervical afferent input or by addressing input through direct training of relocation sense. © 2006 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 2007 [source]


    Neuropathy Associated With Anti-Chondroitin Sulfate C IgM Antibodies

    JOURNAL OF THE PERIPHERAL NERVOUS SYSTEM, Issue 1 2001
    B Bossi
    Chondroitin Sulfate C (ChS-C), is a glycosaminoglycan present in the membranes of neurons and axons. Anti-ChS-C IgM antibodies have been reported in patients with predominantly sensory neuropathy (PN) often associated with IgM monoclonal gammopathy, but also in some neurological controls. In order to evaluate the frequency and clinical correlate of anti-ChS-C IgM antibodies, we tested them by a new Covalink ELISA technique in sera from 206 patients with IgM monoclonal gammopathy including 79 with PN (PN+IgM) with unknown IgM reactivity, 65 with PN with antibodies to the myelin-associated glycoprotein and 62 without PN, and from 33 patients with PN of other causes, 30 with other neurological and non-neurological diseases and 23 normal subjects. We only found high titers of anti-ChS-C IgM in two patients (1/128,000 and 1/256,000 respectively) with IgM monoclonal gammopathy: one had Waldenström Macroglobulinemia diagnosed seven years before and a 3 year history of slowly progressive limb weakness, finger paresthesias, unsteady gait and occasional nocturnal cramps. Neurological examination revealed a predominantly large-fiber sensory neuropathy with mild distal atrophy and weakness in upper and lower limbs. Electrophysiological and morphological studies were suggestive of a predominantly demyelinating neuropathy. The other patient had IgM MGUS without PN at the time of antibody testing but developed finger paresthesias seven years later, when he had decreased position sense and abnormal sensory nerve conduction studies. In conclusion high titers of anti-ChS-C IgM, though infrequent, were always associated with the presence or development of sensory PN in patients with IgM M-protein, supporting a possible role for these antibodies in the neuropathy. [source]


    Do hypermobile subjects without pain have alteration to the feedback mechanisms controlling the shoulder girdle?

    MUSCULOSKELETAL CARE, Issue 3 2010
    H.M. Jeremiah BSc (Hons), MMACP
    Abstract Objectives:,It has been reported that hypermobile subjects have proprioceptive deficits. However, it remains unclear whether pain-free subjects with hypermobility also have deficits. Methods:,Ten subjects with hypermobility and nine without hypermobility were recruited following ethical approval and informed consent. Shoulder mobility, joint position sense (JPS) and a reflex of trapezius evoked from arm afferents were compared. Results:,There was greater shoulder mobility in the hypermobile group (p = 0.004). There were no differences in shoulder JPS between the groups (p = 0.27), although, the hypermobile group displayed a larger degree of variability (p = 0.014). Finally, there were no differences in the latency of upper and lower trapezius reflexes evoked from arm afferents (p = 0.86 and 0.98, respectively). Conclusions:,In a group of people with hypermobility without shoulder problems, there was no difference in either shoulder JPS or reflex latency when compared with a non- hypermobile group. The relevance of pain to proprioceptive deficits is discussed. © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


    Repeatability of joint proprioception and muscle torque assessment in healthy children and in children diagnosed with hypermobility syndrome

    MUSCULOSKELETAL CARE, Issue 2 2008
    Francis A. Fatoye MSc
    Abstract Background:,Impairment of joint proprioception in patients with hypermobility syndrome (HMS) has been well documented. Both joint proprioception and muscle torque are commonly assessed in patients with musculoskeletal complaints. It is unknown, however, if these measures change significantly on repeated application in healthy children and in children with HMS. Aim:,To investigate the between-days repeatability of joint proprioception and muscle torque in these groups. Methods:,Twenty children (10 healthy and 10 with HMS), aged eight to 15 years, were assessed on two separate occasions (one week apart) for joint kinaesthesia (JK), joint position sense (JPS), and the extensor and knee flexor muscle torque of the knee. JK was measured using threshold to detection of passive movement. JPS was measured using the absolute angular error (AAE; the absolute difference between the target and perceived angles). Knee extensor and flexor muscle torque was normalized to body weight. Results:,Intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC) for JK, extensor and flexor muscle torque were excellent in both groups (range 0.83 to 0.98). However, ICC values for JPS tests were poor to moderate in the two groups (range 0.18 to 0.56). 95% limits of agreement (LOA) were narrow in both cohorts for JK and muscle torque (indicating low systematic error) but wide for the JPS tests. 95% LOA also demonstrated that the measuring instruments used in this study had low between-days systematic error. Conclusions:,Based on ICC and 95% LOA, the repeatability of JK and muscle torque measurements was excellent in both healthy children and those with HMS. The JPS test can only be assessed with poor to moderate repeatability. The use of the JPS test in these children should be undertaken with caution. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


    Trials needed to assess knee proprioception following stroke

    PHYSIOTHERAPY RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL, Issue 1 2009
    Pagamas Piriyaprasarth
    Abstract Background and Purpose.,This study explores the number of trials required to identify clinically significant impairments in knee joint position sense and movement sense following stroke.,Method.,Proprioception was assessed in 33 stroke patients aged 37,87 years. Ten trials for each assessment were performed in sitting and supine positions using both verbal response techniques and contralateral limb matching.,Results.,Forty-six percent of participants were identified with a proprioceptive deficit. The trial where the first incorrect response occurred varied across individuals and testing positions. Performing only one trial detected proprioceptive impairments in less than 10% patients, and incorrect responses did not always occur in the first 5 trials. In sitting, no participant failed the assessment of knee joint position sense using the verbal response technique after only 6 trials. In supine, no participant failed the assessment of knee movement sense using the verbal response technique after only 6 trials. For the assessment of knee joint position sense in sitting using contralateral limb matching an estimated 9.4% of patients with a deficit would be missed if only 3 trials were used in preference to 5. For assessment of knee joint position sense in sitting, an estimated 18.8% of patients with deficits would be missed if only 3 trials were used rather than 10 trials.,Conclusions.,Clinicians should perform at least 10 trials in either sitting or supine to quantify joint position sense and movement sense at the knee following stroke. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


    Muscle spindle signals combine with the sense of effort to indicate limb position

    THE JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY, Issue 3 2005
    J. A. Winter
    Experiments were carried out to test the hypothesis that, in the absence of vision, position sense at the human forearm is generated by the combined input from muscle spindles in elbow flexor muscles and signals of central origin giving rise to a sense of effort. In a forearm position-matching task, to remove a possible contribution from the sense of effort, the reference arm was held supported at the test angle. Subjects were less accurate in matching elbow position of the supported forearm than when it was unsupported. Adding a 2 kg weight to the unsupported reference arm led subjects to make matching errors consistent with an increase in the effort signal. Evidence of a contribution from muscle spindles was provided by showing that the direction of position matching errors could be systematically altered by flexion or extension conditioning of the reference arm before its placement at the test angle. Such changes in errors with conditioning could be shown to be present when the reference arm was supported, unsupported, or unsupported and weighted. It is concluded that both peripheral signals from muscle spindles and signals of central origin, associated with the motor command required to maintain arm position against the force of gravity, can provide information about forearm position. [source]