KNEE PROPRIOCEPTION MAY BE ALTERED BY TREATMENT IN ATHLETES SUFFERING FROM DELAYED ONSET MUSCLE SORENESS

Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) is a very common musculoskeletal problem in athletes involved in extreme competitions. The aim of this study is to compare the effect of diathermy, sham diathermy and massage on the knee proprioception of athletes treated for DOMS. Forty athletes were enrolled after the second day of a demanding ski mountaineering race. They were randomly assigned to four groups: no treatment (n=10), massage (n=10), diathermy (n=10), and sham diathermy (n=10). The knee reposition error was measured after the treatments in order to assess knee proprioception. Significant differences between the diathermy and sham diathermy groups were found (p=0.01) with an absolute effect size of 4.7∘. No other significant differences were found among groups. This means that diathermy has a negative impact on joint proprioception and can be explained by the spindle desensitization consequent to deeper tissue heating. This information can be important in the DOMS management of athletes, since an altered proprioception may interfere with the athlete’s performance and can increase the risk of injury.