April 28, 1998, 2:07 a.m. (Message 11830)
There's an interesting online article (for those inclined to details) on retraining the kinesthetic sense of joint position following an injury. The authors feel that failure to do such retraining can be a major cause of subsequent reinjury. Such training goes hand-in-hand with working to increase strength and flexibility and to reeducate neuromuscular movement patterns disrupted by compensation following injuries. Somethings to consider and discuss with your medic for those working with someone or themselves returning from "wounded" ghille status. ...Keith http://www.physsportsmed.com/issues/1997/10oct/laskow.htm Refining Rehabilitation With Proprioception Training: Expediting Return to Play, Edward R. Laskowski, MD; Karen Newcomer-Aney, MD; Jay Smith, MD, THE PHYSICIAN AND SPORTSMEDICINE - VOL 25 - NO. 10 - OCTOBER 97 In Brief: Although definitions of proprioception--sense of joint position--may vary, its importance in preventing and rehabilitating athletic injury remains constant: Restoring it after injury allows the body to maintain stability and orientation during static and dynamic activities. Any type of joint injury can interrupt position sense. Proprioceptive programs need to be tailored to the individual patient, but exercises can include balance training, closed-kinetic-chain exercises such as the leg press or single-leg hops, back-strengtheners, and quadruped stabilization. Sport- specific training is also crucial in regaining proprioception; an example is defensive slide drills in basketball. Impaired joint "position sense" is overlooked in many rehabilitation programs and may be a major risk factor for recurrent injuries after the integrity of the muscles and ligaments has been restored (1). Physicians, therefore, need a general understanding of the afferent proprioceptive system, its importance to joint integrity, and how to emphasize it during rehabilitation and training. +-----------------------------+-------------------------------------------+ I Keith Eric Grant I Common sense and a sense of humor are the I I I same thing, moving at different speeds. I I Atmospheric Science Div I A sense of humor is just common sense, I I P.O. Box 808, L-103 I dancing. ... Clive James I I Lawrence Livrmr Natn'l Lab I I I EMail: xxx@xxxx.xxx I (or perhaps dancing is just common sense) I I FAX: (510) 422-5844 I I +-----------------------------+-------------------------------------------+