Background This study aimed to quantify the patellar reflex and assess how rugby training level influences reflex magnitude, asymmetry, and sensitivity, using a novel and accessible method for patellar reflex quantification. Methods A novel force transducer and ankle-mounted accelerometer were used to measure raw acceleration, which was converted to lower-limb angular velocity in 64 male participants from four rugby player groups (control, amateur, semi-professional, and professional). Each participant underwent 20 reflex trials per leg. Reflex magnitude was derived from peak angular velocity. Asymmetry and sensitivity were assessed using repeated-measures ANOVA and distributional analyses. Results Reflex magnitude decreased progressively with increased rugby training (p<0.0001). No significant asymmetry was observed between dominant and non-dominant legs (p=0.411). Reflex sensitivity was also lower in professional players compared to controls (p<0.0001). Conclusion By developing a novel force transducer and accelerometer, this study presents an accessible and accurate method for reflex quantification that, with further development, may be of clinical interest. This study demonstrated a progressive diminution in patellar reflex responses with increased exposure to rugby training. This is indicative of training-dependent reflex adaptation, which may result from central and/or peripheral plasticity. Overall, a combination of factors likely causes the reflex changes observed with rugby training. However, a deeper understanding of these effects could aid injury prevention among elite athletes of both sexes across various sports and inform clinicians during medical examinations.
Benson et al. (Thu,) studied this question.