Chronic ankle instability is associated with proprioception deficits:A systematic review and meta-analysis

Background:Acute ankle injury causes damage to joint mechanoreceptors and deafferentation and contributes to proprioception deficits in patients with chronic ankle instability(CAI).We aimed to explore whether deficits of proprioception,including kinesthesia and joint position sense(JPS),exist in patients with CAI when compared with the uninjured contralateral side and healthy people.We hypothesized that proprioception deficits did exist in patients with CAI and that the deficits varied by test methodologies.Methods:The study was a systematic review and meta-analysis.We identified studies that compared kinesthesia or JPS in patients with CAI with the uninjured contralateral side or with healthy controls.Meta-analyses were conducted for the studies with similar test procedures,and narrative syntheses were undertaken for the rest.Results:A total of 7731 studies were identified,of which 30 were included for review.A total of 21 studies were eligible for meta-analysis.Compared with the contralateral side,patients with CAI had ankle kinesthesia deficits in inversion and plantarflexion,with a standardized mean difference(SMD)of 0.41 and 0.92,respectively,and active and passive JPS deficits in inversion(SMD=0.92 and 0.72,respectively).Compared with healthy people,patients with CAI had ankle kinesthesia deficits in inversion and eversion(SMD=0.64 and 0.76,respectively),and active JPS deficits in inversion and eversion(SMD=1.00 and 4.82,respectively).Proprioception deficits in the knee and shoulder of patients with CAI were not statistically significant.Conclusion:Proprioception,including both kinesthesia and JPS,of the injured ankle of patients with CAI was impaired,compared with the uninjured contralateral limbs and healthy people.Proprioception varied depending on different movement directions and test methodologies.The use of more detailed measurements of proprioception and interventions for restoring the deficits are recommended in the clinical management of CAI.

Assessing proprioception:A critical review of methods

To control movement,the brain has to integrate proprioceptive information from a variety of mechanoreceptors.The role of proprioception in daily activities,exercise,and sports has been extensively investigated,using different techniques,yet the proprioceptive mechanisms underlying human movement control are still unclear.In the current work we have reviewed understanding of proprioception and the three testing methods:threshold to detection of passive motion,joint position reproduction,and active movement extent discrimination,all of which have been used for assessing proprioception.The origin of the methods,the different testing apparatus,and the procedures and protocols used in each approach are compared and discussed.Recommendations are made for choosing an appropriate technique when assessing proprioceptive mechanisms in different contexts.

A laser shaft alignment system with dual PSDs

Shaft alignment is an important technique during installation and maintenance of a rotating machine. A high-precision laser alignment system has been designed with dual PSDs (Position Sensing Detector) to change traditional manual way of shaft alignment and to make the measurement easier and more accurate. The system is comprised of two small measuring units (laser transmitter and detector) and a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) with measurement software. The laser alignment system with dual PSDs was improved on a single PSD system, and yields higher measurement accuracy than the previous design, and has been successful for designing and implements actual shaft alignment. In the system, the range of offset measurement is ±4 mm, and the resolution is 1.5 μm, with accuracy being less than 2 μm.