Comparison of Proprioception in Arthritic and Age-Matched Normal Knees*

Abstract

Knee proprioception in middle-aged and elderly persons with advanced knee arthritis is reduced in comparison with that in middle-aged and elderly persons without arthritis. Such loss of proprioception is independent of the severity of knee arthritis and may foretell the development of arthritis. When a patient has reduced proprioception with regard to one knee affected by arthritis, he or she also has reduced proprioception with regard to the contralateral knee, independent of the presence or severity of degenerative arthritis. When an investigator is evaluating changes in proprioception after knee arthroplasty, it is best to compare the knee with the patient's untreated knee rather than with age-matched controls.