PROPRIOCEPTION IN OSTEOARTHRITIC KNEES WITH HYALURONAN INJECTIONS

Abstract

1834 The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of a single series of intra-articular hyaluronan injections on proprioception in osteoarthritic knee joints. Twenty-one men and 19 women completed the study (22 subjects received hyaluronan injections and 18 subjects received a saline placebo injection). There were no significant differences in age between the study groups, the timing of injections or proprioceptive testing. Proprioception was measured with a Penny and Giles electrogoniometer attached to the study knee. Subjects performed an angle reproduction test in the closed-kinetic position. The difference between the target test angle and the reproduced angle was labeled the absolute angular error (AAE). Eleven angles were tested in random order before beginning therapy, after three weeks, and after 12 weeks. A 2×3 repeated measures ANOVA comparing injection groups at all times revealed no significant differences in AAE. The AAE proprioception data was examined for differences due to fatigue caused by the number of test angles (p < 0.001) and differences explained by angulations in various divisions of the normal range of motion (p < 0.001). After accounting for these potential confounds, two-way ANOVAs still did not detect any significant differences in AAE between hyaluronan and placebo groups. Other studies have found that viscosupplementation therapy using hyaluronan may decrease pain and increase function in knee joints. The results of this study suggest that this therapy does not adversely affect proprioception. Thus, the safety profile of hyaluronan injections may be broadened since proprioception was not impaired.