Hypermobility syndrome and proprioception in patients with knee ligament injury

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this prospective controlled study was to determine the effect of hypermobility on proprioception and knee ligament injuries in a young patient population.
METHODS: 20 cases admitted to outpatient clinic of physical medicine and rehabilitation department with diagnosed as knee ligament injury (patient group) and 17 healthy individuals (control group) were included in this controlled study. Beighton scores (BS) were obtained from each patient. Cybex NORM dynamometer (770 Norm, Lumex Inc. Ronkonkoma, NY USA) were used for proprioception testing. Measurements were recorded for three times in both flexion and extension and mean values were noted.
RESULTS: The frequency of hypermobility was higher in the patient group than the control group with a statistically significance (p<0.05). When the proprioception measurements were evaluated, the increase in average absolute angle error values for extension to flexion and for flexion to extension was higher in patient group than control group (4,86 ± 3,39 vs 3,78 ± 3,85 and 4,61 ± 4,18 vs 4,26 ± 1,90), but this difference was not statistically significant (p>0.05). The increase in average absolute angle error values for extension to flexion and for flexion to extension was higher in patients with hypermobility for both groups but this difference was not statistically significant (p>0.05)
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Hypermobility and knee ligament injuries both contributes to proprioception deficits and hypermobility can more likely lead to knee ligament injuries. Further studies with randomized controlled design are needed.