Effectiveness of retro walking on knee proprioception after knee injury
Authors:   BCF College of Physiotherapy, Indo-American Hospital, Kerala, India, Nisamudeen Jasmin , Kumar R. Rejeesh ,   BCF College of Physiotherapy, Indo-American Hospital, Kerala, India, Sharad K. S. ,   BCF College of Physiotherapy, Indo-American Hospital, Kerala, India, Krishnan Arjun R. ,   BCF College of Physiotherapy, Indo-American Hospital, Kerala, India
Published: October 2023

Background: Knee injuries are frequent and can significantly affect a person’s functionality and capacity to carry out regular tasks. Only two of the many components that support the equilibrium of the knee joint are ligaments and supporting structures. Direct or indirect trauma can cause ligament injuries that result in instability, and sports and physical activity put the knee joint at a higher risk for injury. Proprioception, the body’s ability to recognize its location in space, is crucial for preserving balance and coordinating motions. Walking is a fundamental action that may be employed for rehabilitation, both forward and backward. The aim of the study is to investigate how retro walking after a knee injury affects knee proprioception. Finding out how retro walking impacts knee health is one of the objectives. The objectives include comparing the experimental group’s findings to those of a control group and determining how retro walking affects knee proprioception. Retro walking increases knee proprioception as well as the neuromuscular and muscular systems, which may make rehabilitation programs for those with knee injuries more effective. Objective: The study’s objective is to evaluate how retro walking after a knee injury affects knee proprioception. The objectives include comparing the experimental group’s findings to those of a control group and determining how retro walking affects knee proprioception. Retro walking increases knee proprioception as well as the neuromuscular and muscular systems, which may make rehabilitation programs for those with knee injuries more effective. Method: 24 injured individuals (men and women) participated in this experimental investigation. They were split into two groups of 14, the control group, and the experimental group, obtaining everyone’s approval after having informed them. The knee injury and osteoarthritis scale (KOOS), star excursion balancing test, and joint position sense are employed as outcome measures. Prior to the intervention, baseline measurements were collected. After 6 weeks of interventions, the final grade was determined. While stationary cycling and strengthening exercises for the quadriceps, calf muscles, and hamstrings are part of traditional therapy among the control group, retro walking was also offered to the experimental group. Results were collected, and the data were examined after 6 weeks. Result: The experiment group of knee injury patients who performed retro walking demonstrated a substantial increase in knee function and proprioception ratings, according to the study’s findings. According to the analysis of the KOOS scale, scores for proprioception and knee function after retro walking were significantly different, with a mean change of −19.833 units. Retro walking’s ability to enhance knee proprioception was further supported by the SEBT score, which showed a mean change of −37.167 units. A substantial mean change of −4.583 units was also seen when the JPS score was evaluated, showing the beneficial effects of retro walking on knee proprioception in knee injury patients. These results imply that retro walking is a viable option for enhancing proprioception and knee functionality in knee injury patients. 34 Conclusion: It has been found that retro walking on a treadmill for 15 min, up to 6 weeks at 3 times each week, with a 10◦ inclination and a speed of 1–2 m/s, significantly improves knee proprioception following injury. The statistical study supports this observation. Considering the study’s results, one may assert that retro walking helps knee injury patients raise their total level of physical activity. It has been demonstrated that retro walking enhances knee function and proprioception. Analysis of differences between both the test and control groups, the joint position awareness, star excursion balance test, and KOOS score all show greater progress. Retro walking is therefore more successful in the rehabilitation of post-knee injury in the current investigation.