Neuromuscular training improves knee proprioception in athletes with a history of anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: A randomized controlled trial


Author: Mohammad Ghaderi1, Amir Letafatkar1, Thomas Gus Almonroeder2, Sohrab Keyhani3

Affiliation: <sup>1</sup> Kharazmi University, No. 43, South Mofatteh Ave., Tehran 15719-14911, Iran.

<sup>2</sup> University of Wisconsin - La Crosse, 1300 Badger St., La Crosse, WI 54601, United States. Electronic address: talmonroeder@uwlax.edu.

<sup>3</sup> Akhtar Hospital, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Velenjak St., Tehran 19857-17443, Iran.
Conference/Journal: Clin Biomech (Bristol, Avon)
Date published: 2020 Aug 27
Other:
 Volume ID: 80   ,  Pages: 105157   ,  Special Notes: doi: 10.1016/j.clinbiomech.2020.105157.   ,  Word Count: 251  
    Background:

Athletes exhibit deficits in knee proprioception following anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. Neuromuscular training programs improve knee proprioception in uninjured athletes; however, the effects on knee proprioception in athletes who have undergone anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction is not well understood. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a neuromuscular training program on knee proprioception in athletes who have returned to sport following anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.



Methods:

Twenty-four male athletes, who had undergone anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction within the previous 6-12 months and returned to sport, participated in this randomized controlled trial. Athletes were randomly allocated to an experimental group (n = 12) that took part in an 8-week neuromuscular training program or a control group (n = 12) that simply continued their typical training routine. Knee position sense was assessed at baseline and after the 8-week period (post-testing). One-way analysis of covariance, with baseline performance included as a covariate, was used to compare knee position sense errors for the reconstructed limbs of the experimental and control groups at the post-testing time point.



Findings:

Knee position sense errors decreased by 51.7% for the experimental group and only 4.4% for the control group over the 8-week period. As a result, the experimental group demonstrated lower knee position sense errors, compared to the control group, at the post-testing time point (P < .001).



Interpretation:

Athletes with a history of anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction may benefit from participation in a neuromuscular training program, even after completing post-operative rehabilitation.



Keywords: Kinesthesia; Rehabilitation; Sports medicine.



PMID: 32871397 DOI: 10.1016/j.clinbiomech.2020.105157