Disordered Mobility of Large Joints in Association with Neuropathy in Patients with Long-standing Insulin-dependent Diabetes Mellitus

Movement performance was studied in 29 long‐term patients with insulin‐dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) and 29 matched control subjects. Velocity, range of motion, reaction time, and strength of ankle dorsal and plantar flexion and knee extension were measured. The neuropathic condition was assessed from clinical examination, nerve conduction studies, and quantitative sensory examination, and summed to obtain a neuropathy rank‐sum score. Reaction time for the diabetic patients was increased by 29 %, 23 %, and 22 % for ankle dorsal, ankle plantar, and knee extension movements respectively (p