Citation

Bottoni G, Heinrich D, Kofler P, Hasler M, Nachbauer W. J. Sport Rehab. 2014; 24(4): 349-352.

Affiliation

Centre of Technology of Ski and Alpine Sport, Innsbruck, Austria.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2014, Human Kinetics Publishers)

DOI

10.1123/jsr.2014-0192

PMID

25365450

Abstract

CONTEXT: During sport activity knee proprioception might worsen. This decrease in proprioceptive acuity negatively influences motor control and therefore may increase injury risk. Hiking is a common activity characterized by a higher intensity exercise phase during uphill walking and a lower intensity exercise phase during downhill walking. Pain and injuries are reported in hiking especially during the downhill phase.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of a "hiking-fatigue-protocol" on joint position sense.

DESIGN: Repeated measures. Setting: University research laboratory. PARTICIPANTS: Twenty-four non-professional sportswomen without knee injuries took part in this study. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Joint position sense was tested at the beginning, after 30 minutes uphill walking and after 30 minutes downhill walking on a treadmill (continuous protocol).

RESULTS: After downhill walking joint position sense was significantly worse than in the test at the beginning (p = 0.035, α = 0.05). After uphill walking no differences were observed in comparison with the test at the beginning (p = 0.172, α = 0.05) or in comparison with the test after downhill walking (p = 0.165, α = 0.05).

CONCLUSION: Downhill walking causes impairment in knee joint position sense. Considering these results, injury prevention protocols for hiking should focus on maintaining and improving knee proprioception during the descending phase.

Language: en