Proprioceptive impairment in knee osteoarthritis

Proprioception, the perception of limb position in space, is derived from a fferent signals originating primarily from musculotendinous and joint recep tors. Proprioception is critical to the maintenance of joint stability. Stu dies have demonstrated that proprioception is less accurate in patients wit h knee osteoarthritis versus elderly control subjects, in healthy older ver sus younger subjects, and in the setting of other conditions affecting the knee including anterior cruciate ligament deficiency and hypermobility synd rome. Possible pathways between proprioceptive inaccuracy, knee osteoarthri tis, and related knee disorders are described.