Abstract
<p><strong>BACKGROUND</strong><strong>: </strong>Proprioception plays an integral role in the neuromotor control of the knee joint. The objective of this study was to evaluate the relationship of knee joint proprioception deficit and regular exercise activities with obesity.</p><p><strong>MATERIAL/METHOD</strong><strong>: </strong>In this case control study, we had 60 participants, aged 18 to 35 in four groups (15 athletes obese; 15 athletes with normal weight; 15 non-athletes obese; 15 non-athletes with normal weight). The average Body Mass Index for the obese groups was 33.50±(3.10) kg/m<sup>2</sup> and for the normal weight groups was 23.77±(2.94) kg/m<sup>2</sup>. We used a Biodex Multi-Joint System 4 Isokinetic Dynamometer to examine proprioception acuity as the amount of a subject's error when trying to reproduce a test knee extension angle (a measure of the joint position sense). We tested proprioception actively (active reproduction test; AAR) and passively (passive reproduction test; PAR) in the right leg.</p><p><strong>RESULTS: </strong>The non-athlete obese group had significantly poorer proprioception acuity in the knee extension movement compared to the normal weight groups and also compared to the athlete obese group. For knee active angle reproduction test AAR, a significant difference was found (p=0.011). The results for passive angle reproduction test PAR, revealed no significant differences between the four groups (p=0.596).</p><p><strong>CONCLUSIONS:</strong> The obese groups showed a deficit in the proprioception function in knee extension movement. Furthermore, the findings suggest that doing regular weight bearing training is associated with better proprioceptive function, even in obese groups. It could manifest that the deleterious effect of obesity on the knee joint proprioception might be stronger than the beneficial influence of exercise training.</p>
Highlights
Obesity is a major health problem in many parts of the world and its incidence is rising at an alarming rate (Waxman, 2003)
The non-athlete obese group had significantly poorer proprioception acuity in the knee extension movement compared to the normal weight groups and compared to the athlete obese group
The smallest mean error was found (3.01 degrees) for the normal weight athlete group and the largest mean error belonged to the non-athlete obese group (6.21 degrees), normal weight non-athletes mean error was (4.94) and the result for obese athletes was (5.11)
Summary
Obesity is a major health problem in many parts of the world and its incidence is rising at an alarming rate (Waxman, 2003). Most of the major chronic diseases, such as diabetes mellitus, coronary heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and musculoskeletal conditions occur with a higher incidence in obesity. Knee osteoarthritis as a chronic musculoskeletal condition is indirectly influenced by obesity and is associated with diminished normal joint function and pain; both conditions affect quality of life (Dominick et al, 2004). The study’s main goal was to examine the possible relationship of the knee joint proprioception deficit with obesity and the second aim was to evaluate the likelihood of the improvement of proproception acuity with regular exercise activities. The objective of this study was to evaluate the relationship of knee joint proprioception deficit and regular exercise activities with obesity. We tested proprioception actively (active reproduction test; AAR) and passively (passive reproduction test; PAR) in the right leg
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