Effects of Different Concentric and Eccentric Muscle Fatigue Protocols on the Knee Joint Position Sense

Effects of Different Concentric and Eccentric Muscle Fatigue Protocols on the Knee Joint Position Sense: a Randomized Controlled Crossover Trial

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of different concentric and eccentric muscle fatigue protocols on the knee joint position sense of healthy individuals.

Study Overview

• Status: Recruiting
• Conditions: Healthy
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Muscle fatigue Protocol

Detailed Description

A randomized controlled crossover trial will be conducted at a biomechanics laboratory with healthy males. All participants will perform with a washout period of 1 week: a control condition (5-minute rest) and 4 local muscle fatigue protocols (concentric of quadriceps; concentric of hamstrings; eccentric of quadriceps; eccentric of hamstrings) in an isokinetic dynamometer at 30º/s. Three maximum voluntary isometric contractions (MVIC) of quadriceps and hamstrings will also be assessed in the beginning of all conditions.

Knee joint position sense will be assessed before and immediately after the fatigue protocols/control condition, through active concentric and eccentric positionings/repositionings, in sitting and prone positions, to a target range of 45º of knee flexion in an isokinetic dynamometer. Surface electromyography electrodes will also be placed on the vastus lateralis and biceps femoris during all procedures.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 20
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Joana Azevedo, MSc; Phone Number: +351917910094; Email: azevedojoana311@gmail.com

Study Locations

• Portugal
  • Porto, Portugal, 4200
    • Recruiting
    • Faculdade de Desporto, Universidade do Porto
    • Contact: Joana Azevedo, MSc; Phone Number: +351917910094; Email: azevedojoana311@gmail.com

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• males aged between 18 and 30 years;
• without current or previous knee pathology or surgery;
• with a low or moderate physical activity level, according to the International Physical Activity Questionnaire;
• normal Body Mass Index (under 24.9 kg/m2), according to the World Health Organization.

Exclusion Criteria:

• those with cardiorespiratory, neurological or vestibular pathologies;
• with positive knee integrity tests (anterior drawer, Lachman's test, posterior drawer; valgus and varus stress testes); and
• those taking any medication that can affect motor control (sedatives, anxiolytics, antibiotics, analgesics, NSAIDs or myorelaxants).

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Health Services Research
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Crossover Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

5

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
No Intervention: Control Condition; 5-minute rest period.
Active Comparator: Quadriceps_Concentric; 40 consecutive maximal concentric contractions of quadriceps at 30º/s from the 90° to 30° of knee flexion	Other: Muscle fatigue Protocol; Four experimental conditions consisting of different local muscle fatigue protocols performed in the isokinetic dynamometer in random order, with at least one week of interval between them.
Active Comparator: Quadriceps_Eccentric; 40 consecutive maximal eccentric contractions of quadriceps at 30°/s from the 30° to 90° of knee flexion	Other: Muscle fatigue Protocol; Four experimental conditions consisting of different local muscle fatigue protocols performed in the isokinetic dynamometer in random order, with at least one week of interval between them.
Active Comparator: Hamstrings_Concentric; 30 consecutive maximal concentric contractions of hamstrings at 30º/s from 30º to 90º of knee flexion	Other: Muscle fatigue Protocol; Four experimental conditions consisting of different local muscle fatigue protocols performed in the isokinetic dynamometer in random order, with at least one week of interval between them.
Active Comparator: Hamstrings_Eccentric; 30 consecutive maximal eccentric contractions of the hamstrings at 30º/s from 90º to 30º of knee flexion	Other: Muscle fatigue Protocol; Four experimental conditions consisting of different local muscle fatigue protocols performed in the isokinetic dynamometer in random order, with at least one week of interval between them.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Absolute angular error	The absolute value of the difference between the target range and the achieved range	Change from Baseline (Before) to Immediately after interventions or control (After)
Relative angular error	The arithmetic difference between the target range and the range achieved	Change from Baseline (Before) to Immediately after interventions or control (After)
Variable angular error	The standard deviation of the 3 repositionings	Change from Baseline (Before) to Immediately after interventions or control (After)

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Universidade do Porto

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): November 2, 2023
• Primary Completion (Estimated): May 15, 2024
• Study Completion (Estimated): June 1, 2024

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: March 19, 2024
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 19, 2024
• First Posted (Actual): March 26, 2024

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): March 26, 2024
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 19, 2024
• Last Verified: March 1, 2024

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Knee; Proprioception; Muscle Fatigue; Joint Position Sense
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Fatigue
• Other Study ID Numbers: JSA_Fatigue_FADEUP

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No