Normal shoulder proprioception and the effect of lidocaine infection

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of age, dominance, joint position, and lidocaine injection on proprioception of the normal sho ulder Position sense and the detection of passive shoulder motion were inve stigated in 40 young (20 to 30 years) and old (50 to 70 years) subjects. An additional 20 young subjects were tested before and after a glenohumeral ( n = 10) or a subacromial (n = 10) lidocaine injection was performed A signi ficant decline occurred in proprioception between the young and old age gro ups. No difference was observed between dominant and nondominant sides. Pos ition sense was consistently less accurate in the maximum range of motion t ested when compared with the lesser ranges tested For flexion and abduction . No differences were identified in the ability to defect motion in flexion , abduction, and external rotation in the younger group, whereas in the old er group a difference was observed in flexion. No learning effect was detec ted for any test trial. No significant changes occurred in proprioceptive a bility after either glenohumeral or subacromial lidocaine injection was per formed.