Upper and lower limb proprioception and cervical vestibular evoked myogenic potential (cVEMP) recordings in professional volleyball players

Background and Aim: In our literature review, we did not find any study in which proprioception and evoked myogenic potentials recordings were evaluated together in volleyball players. This study was planned to fill this gap. Material and Methods: Twenty professional female volleyball players who had been playing volleyball professionally for at least five years and twenty sedentary female volunteers were included in the study. The shoulder and elbow in the upper extremity and knee and ankle in the lower extremity were evaluated in terms of proprioception. Two methods described in the literature were used; these are 'Angle Reconstruction' and 'Joint Position Matching'. An electronic goniometer with a sensitivity of 0.05 degrees was used for the measurements. In both tests, the eyes of the test subject were closed and measurements were taken. The measurements were repeated three times and averaged. The measurements were recorded as degrees of deviation from the determined angles. For cervical vestibular evoked myogenic potentials, MedelecViasys Healthcare UK Ltd. 2009 brand cervical vestibular evoked potentials test was used. Insert headphones were placed in the patient's ear, reference electrodes placed on the left and right sternocleidomastoid muscle, ground electrode placed on the forehead and positive electrodes placed on the sternum (incisura jugularis) were recorded. Results: In this study in which we evaluated proprioceptive sensation and evoked myogenic potentials responses in volleyball players, we found that proprioceptive sensation was more developed and evoked myogenic potentials responses were more sensitive on the dominant side in volleyball players compared to the sedentary group. Conclusion: As a result of the statistical evaluation using the degree of deviation determined in the angle reconstruction and joint position matching tests in the elevation and flexion directions for the shoulder joint in the two groups we formed as volleyball players and sedentary women as data, the mean error in the volleyball playing group was smaller than the sedentary group. In the statistical evaluation in which the degree of deviation determined in the angle reconstruction and joint position matching tests performed as internal and external rotations for the elbow joint were used as data, the mean error was smaller in the volleyball playing group than in the sedentary group. In the statistical evaluation in which the degree of deviation determined in the knee and ankle flexion angle reconstruction and joint position matching tests were used as data, the mean error was smaller in the volleyball playing group than in the sedentary group. In the statistical evaluation in which the values obtained in the two groups in the cervical vestibular evoked myogenic potential test were used as data, a statistical difference was observed in the right side cervical vestibular evoked myogenic potential data of the volleyball playing group, while no difference was observed between the two groups in the left side data.