Beard, D. J., Kyberd, P.
J., Fergusson, C. M., Dodd, C. A. F. (March 1993) "Proprioception After Rupture
of the Anterior Cruciate Ligament." The Journal Of Bone And Joint Surgery,
Vol. 75-B, No. 2, 311-316.
Extract - Failure of conservative treatment is the usual indication for the reconstruction
of a knee with deficiency of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and this depends
on subjective judgement. The ability of muscles to protect the subluxing joint
by reflex contraction could provide an objective measurement.
We have studied 30 patients with unilateral ACL deficiency by measuring the latency
of reflex hamstring contraction. We found that the mean latency in the injured
leg was nearly twice that in the unaffected limb (99 ms and 53 ms respectively).
There was a significant correlation between the differential latency and the frequency
of 'giving way' indicating that functional instability may be due, in part, to
loss of proprioception. Measures of proprioception, including reflex hamstring
latency, may be useful in providing an objective assessment of the efficacy of
conservative treatment and the need for surgery.
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