RESUMO
BACKGROUND: While surgical reconstruction restores mechanical stability following anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture, many experience early-onset osteoarthritis despite surgery. Neurophysiological changes are hypothesized to contribute to knee osteoarthritis progression. Proprioceptive deficits have been reported following ACL injury/reconstruction; however, vibration perception threshold (VPT) has been less studied. This study explored relationships between pain, VPT, proprioception, function, and strength following ACL-reconstruction. METHODS: Twenty individuals (27⯱â¯6 years; 10 males) (standard deviation) status-post ACL-reconstruction were compared with a control group. Measurements included VPT, proprioception (threshold to detect passive movement), pain, function (Knee Outcome Survey (KOS)) and isometric quadriceps strength. Group differences were assessed using Mann-Whitney U tests, side-to-side differences with Wilcoxon Signed Rank tests, and associations evaluated using Spearman correlations. RESULTS: The ACL-reconstruction group had minor functional deficits (15⯱â¯11%) and resting pain (1.8⯱â¯1.7). Impaired VPT and proprioception (hypoesthesia) were demonstrated on surgical compared to contralateral and control limbs (pâ¯≤â¯0.008). Proprioception was significantly different between contralateral and control knees, but not VPT. Surgical knee proprioceptive deficits and VPT deficits were positively correlated (ρâ¯=â¯0.462, pâ¯=â¯0.047) but not in controls (ρâ¯=â¯-0.042, pâ¯=â¯0.862). Strength was negatively correlated to pain (ρâ¯=â¯-0.589; pâ¯=â¯0.006), but not to KOS scores, proprioception or VPT (pâ¯≥â¯0.099). CONCLUSION: Proprioceptive deficits following ACL injury have been ascribed to loss of afferent input from the torn ligament. Alternatively, multi-modality as well as contralateral sensory deficits suggest a spinal/supraspinal source of neurophysiological findings which may predispose to early osteoarthritis. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III.