Electrical stimulation to improve proprioception in the normal knee

Electrical stimulation to improve proprioception in the normal knee Public Deposited

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Creator

Collins, Amber Taylor
- Affiliation: School of Medicine, UNC/NCSU Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering

Abstract

Proprioception is the conscious and unconscious perception of joint position and movement in space. Deficits in knee proprioception are known to occur after specific knee injuries and may increase the risk of acute knee injury. These deficits have also been shown to have a role in the progression of knee osteoarthritis. Stochastic resonance electrical stimulation may be a novel way of improving knee proprioception by increasing the output of sensory systems. This study was designed to demonstrate whether any differences exist in proprioception in the normal knee when subject to the combination of subthreshold electrical stimulation and a neoprene knee sleeve. We found that joint position sense was best during the sleeve/stimulation condition in the partial weight bearing task and best during the sleeve/no stimulation condition in the nonweight bearing task. These results are promising for future applications of subthreshold electrical stimulation therapy in osteoarthritis patients.

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