Impaired central drive to plantarflexors and minimal ankle proprioceptive deficit in people with multiple sclerosis.

Background: A common and disruptive symptom of multiple sclerosis is difficulty in walking. Deficits in ankle proprioception and in plantarflexor muscle function may contribute to these mobility issues. In this study, ankle proprioceptive ability and plantarflexor performance of people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS) were compared to healthy controls to determine whether multiple sclerosis causes impairments in these systems.

Age has no effect on ankle proprioception when movement history is controlled.

Ankle proprioceptive deficits can contribute to increased fall risks in the elderly population. We investigated whether ankle proprioception alters with age in healthy people ( = 80, aged 19-80 yr). Previous studies report conflicting results, but none have considered that proprioceptive performance is affected by previous muscle contractions and length changes.