Does knee joint proprioception differ according to age and gender in healthy adults?

Background: This study aimed to investigate the effects of age and gender on knee joint position sense (KJPS) and movement sense (KJMS) in healthy adults. Methods: General physical activity was evaluated using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form (IPAQ-Sf) and the Tegner Activity Scale (TAS). Knee discomfort was measured with the Lysholm Knee Score (LKS), and knee-related symptoms and functional status were assessed using the Knee Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS). Knee joint position sense (KJPS) was tested at 15°, 30°, 45°, and 60°, while knee joint movement sense (KJMS) was evaluated at 60° and 90°. Participants were categorized by gender (male, female) and age (18-29, 30-44, ≥ 45 years). Mixed-effects models were applied to analyze numerical data, and post hoc comparisons were conducted using least-squares means with Tukey's correction when appropriate. Results: The mean scores were KOOS = 96.41 ± 4.79, LKS = 96.41 ± 6.94, and IPAQ-Sf = 1772.02 ± 1332.10. Absolute errors for KJPS angles ranged from 2.58 to 3.42 between genders. KJMS at 60°-90° was measured between 1.82 and 1.95 s in males, and between 1.66 and 1.80 s in females. Significant differences in KJMS (60°-90°) were observed across age groups (F = 14.841, p < 0.001) and position-sense angles (F = 19.645, p < 0.001). Conclusion: KJPS assessment revealed significant differences in absolute errors by age and gender. Males demonstrated lower errors, while participants aged ≥ 45 years exhibited greater deviations than younger groups. No gender differences were identified in KJMS. Overall, proprioception declined significantly in the 45+ age group.