Patients that used more years the prosthesis presented selleck chemicals Vandetanib improved values of proprioceptive sensation.Moreover statistically significant differences were not recorded in the measured values between the two prevailing those of prosthesis fitted in the study participants (t = ?0.942,P > 0.05). Specifically the under test patients who used an electronic C-leg joint showed minimum angle 7.7�� and maximum angle 22.7�� with an average angle M: 15.38�� (SD: 4.93��), while those who used hydraulic knee joint presented minimum angle equal to 4�� and maximum angle equal to 18�� with M: 13.43�� (SD: 4.31��) (Table 3).Table 3Joint position sense. Comparison between hydraulic and C-leg prosthesis.As regards the reliability of these measurements, it is a considered satisfactory since the value a (coefficient alpha) for the above-mentioned measurements was found greater than 0.
80 and precisely equal to 0.95 and 0.97 for the healthy and the operated lower extremity [26]. 4. DiscussionIn this research paper, we studied the proprioceptive sensation of the lower limb, with the active reproduction of a predetermined angle method, in a closed kinetic chain environment, using the healthy limb like an internal control group. This angle was selected because it is a representative angle within the functional range of 10�� to 60�� flexion of the knee, which is required for the normal gait, both for the stance phase and for the beginning of the swing phase [21]. It even seems that the activation of mechanoreceptors is greater in this angle [7, 27].
As it is obvious by the result analysis, a statistically significant difference in the values amongst the limb with the artificial joint and the healthy limb was not reported.This fact suggests that albeit the study participants showed decreased value of proprioceptive sensation to a certain degree, they did not present a serious decrease of proprioceptive information of the lower limb and more specifically the knee joint, after an above-knee amputation and placement of a prosthesis, for at least one year.These results are in accordance with the findings of previous researchers, who did not record significant decrease as well, as regards the Joint Position Sense (JPS) after amputation and placement of an artificial joint [15, 17].Eakin et al. measured the ability of passive reproduction of a predetermined angle in flexion in 5��, 10��, 15��, 20��, and 25��, in an environment of closed kinetic chain.
The researchers could not detect significant proprioceptive deficits as regards the target angles and relative to the healthy leg with the previous method. On the contrary, a reduced proprioceptive sensation was recorded in the limb with the prosthesis with the detection of passive motion pathway method [15].Similar results were recorded by Liao and Skinner in patients with below-knee amputations, who were Entinostat evaluated for the sense of the joint position in space, and the kinesthetic perception of the knee joint.