Comparison of Upper Extremity Sensorimotor Skills between Different Groups of Athletes

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

5-30-2014

Publication Title

Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise Supplemental

DOI

10.1249/01.mss.0000495483.31114.16

ISSN

1530-0315

Abstract

Conscious proprioception perception (CPP), along with that which is not consciously perceived, of joint position sense (JPS) and sense of force (SoF) contribute to eye-hand coordination (EHC). Despite widespread CPP testing, decisive validity and sensitivity have yet to be established. Assuming adaptations secondary to training specificity, yielding differences would indirectly provide support for CPP testing.

PURPOSE: To compare bilateral upper extremity (UE) JPS, SoF and EHC between unilateral overhead athletes (UOA), martial artists (MA) and control subjects (CS).

Methods: 15 UOA (22.2±3.3yrs, 1.81±.05m, 86.1±10.3kg), 15 MA (25.8±3.7yrs, 1.78±.09m, 84.7±14.5kg) and 15 CS (23.5±2.4yrs, 1.78±.07m, 81.7±9.4kg) performed EHC, JPS, and SoF testing using their dominant (DOM) and nondominant (NDOM) arms. EHC assessment was measured as the length of time (LT) and target accuracy (TA) in moving a pointer as quickly as possible to a series of randomly appearing targets projected on a screen. JPS was assessed as the three dimensional deviation, normalized to body height (BH), from actively replicating a standardized path of motion (PM) and target position (TP). Isometric SoF was measured as the deviation from replicating 30% and 50% of maximal force. Following audio feedback that allowed subjects to concentrate on the target force level and 5s relaxation, subjects attempted to replicate the target force.

RESULTS: While no significant differences (P>.05) existed between groups, significant limb differences were revealed for LT, PM and TP. Compared to NDOM, the DOM limb demonstrated a quicker LT (95% CIdiff: .006 to .093s) and more accurately replicated the TP (95% CIdiff: .35 to 1.3 %BH). During the PM, although there were no significant difference in the vertical and anterior-posterior directions, the DOM limb (95% CIdiff: .35 to 1.3 %BH) more accurately replicated the medial-lateral PM component (95% CIdiff: .16 to 2.3%BH).

CONCLUSIONS: Support for CPP testing was not supported by this investigation. Three possible interpretations are suggested: 1)the CPP measures used are not valid/sensitive; 2)the hypothesized group differences do not exist; 3)the effect size of the hypothesized group differences are smaller than anticipated. Future research should consider elucidating which interpretation is correct.

Comments

© 2014 American College of Sports Medicine

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