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High intensity running results in an impaired neuromuscular response in ACL reconstructed individuals

  • Knee
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Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy Aims and scope

Abstract

Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction reestablishes electromyographic activity during moderate activities such as walking but is unclear if this is also the case in sports activities such as high intensity running that results in accumulation of metabolic fatigue. Nine bone-patella tendon-bone ACL reconstructed athletes were evaluated 19.2 (5.7) months post-operatively using a telemetric electromyographic system. The neuromuscular response of vastus lateralis and biceps femoris muscles was tested bilaterally on separate occasions during 10 min running at moderate intensity (20% below the lactate threshold) and 10 min running at high intensity (40% above the lactate threshold). During moderate intensity running, electromyographic activity did not change for either leg. During high intensity running, electromyographic activity did not change for the vastus lateralis of the ACL reconstructed leg [267.8 (142.8)–263.8 (128.9) μV, P > 0.05] while it increased significantly [294.2 (120.6)–317.1 (140.5) μV, P = 0.03] for the vastus lateralis of the intact leg. High intensity exercise that is associated with accumulation of metabolic fatigue, results in an impaired neuromuscular response for the vastus lateralis muscle of the ACL reconstructed leg.

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Acknowledgments

This research project (PENED03) is co-financed by E.U.-European Social Fund (75%) and the Greek Ministry of Development-GSRT (25%). Dr. Stergiou is supported by the NIH (K25HD047194), the NIDRR (H133G040118) and the Nebraska Research Initiative.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Orthopaedic Sports Medicine Center, University of Ioannina, Georgiou Papandreou 2, P.O. BOX 1330, 45444, Ioannina, Greece

    Kostas Patras, Giorgos Ziogas, Stavros Ristanis, Elias Tsepis, Nicholas Stergiou & Anastasios D. Georgoulis

  2. Physical Therapy School, Technological Educational Institution of Patra at Aigion, Aigion, Greece

    Elias Tsepis

  3. Nebraska Biomechanics Core Facility, College of Education, University of Nebraska at Omaha and College of Public Health, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, USA

    Nicholas Stergiou

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  1. Kostas Patras
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Correspondence to Anastasios D. Georgoulis.

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Patras, K., Ziogas, G., Ristanis, S. et al. High intensity running results in an impaired neuromuscular response in ACL reconstructed individuals. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc 17, 977–984 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00167-009-0822-0

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