DIAGNOSTIC INFORMATIVENESS OF THE PROPRIORECEPTIVE ORTHODIAGNOSTIC METHOD IN THE EXAMINATION OF ATHLETES WITH KNEE JOINT INJURIES

Purpose. To evaluate the diagnostic informativeness of the proprioceptive orthodiagnostics method in athletes with knee joint injuries and to determine its place in the diagnostic algorithm. Materials and methods. This prospective study included 278 male athletes (mean age 26.3±7.1 years) specializing in football (n=126) and ice hockey (n=152) with various knee joint injuries. All athletes underwent clinical examination using standard tests, recording of stereotypical motor patterns (SMPs), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the knee joint. Based on MRI findings, the patients were assigned to groups according to the identified pathology. Sensitivity, specificity, diagnostic accuracy, and likelihood ratios were evaluated for both traditional tests and SMPs. Results. Four main SMPs were identified: the "line/trigger band sign" (42.1%), the "open palm sign" (28.1%), the "finger sign" (18.3%), and the "closed palm sign" (11.5%), which demonstrated a significant correlation with the type of injury (χ2=208,99, p<0,00001, , Cramer's V=0.501). Specific associations were determined: meniscal injuries with the "line/trigger band sign" (58.1-63.6%), tendinopathies and iliotibial band syndrome with the “finger sign” (85.7-88.9%), and osteoarthritis with the "open palm sign" (85.0%). The proprioceptive orthodiagnostics method demonstrated high diagnostic value for iliotibial band syndrome (AUC=0.847 vs. 0.549 for the standard test, p<0.001) and patellofemoral joint pathologies (AUC=0.719 vs. 0.581, p=0.006). The combined use of standard tests and SMP analysis provided a statistically significant increase in diagnostic accuracy. Conclusions. The proprioceptive orthodiagnostics method has high diagnostic informativeness in knee joint injuries among athletes. Its application is particularly advisable for iliotibial band syndrome, patellofemoral joint pathologies, and meniscal injuries, where the sensitivity of traditional tests is insufficient. The combined use of standard tests and SMP analysis significantly improves the accuracy of primary diagnosis, thereby optimizing the diagnostic algorithm and reducing the time to initiation of adequate therapy.