Loss of Neuromuscular Control Related to Motion in the Acutely ACL-injured Knee: an Experimental Study

Overview

Journal Eur J Appl Physiol

Specialty Physiology

Date 2008 Aug 23

PMID 18719937

Citations 5

Authors

N Bonsfills

E Gomez-Barrena

J J Raygoza

A Nunez

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Ligamentomuscular and muscular stretch reflexes are known to contribute to knee joint stability. After anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury, a more intense and adjusted muscular response is required to maintain joint stability, but this neuromuscular control of the knee has not been clearly proved. The aim of the study is to record electromyography (EMG) signal and muscular fibre length variations in quadriceps and hamstrings of the knee with and without ACL, and to analyze and integrate the ligament strain and the muscular reaction to forced anterior tibial translation (ATT). In 17 knees from 12 cats, EMG electrodes and ultrasonomicrometry crystals were inserted into four main periarticular muscles, with strain gauges on periarticular ligament insertions. Their output signal was compared before and after ACL surgical section in series of ATT (at 90 degrees and 30 degrees knee flexion), and also during knee flexion and extension. Linear regression analysis was performed between the EMG signal and muscular fibre length variations, and between the EMG signal and the strain on ligament insertions, in the search of this reflex neuromuscular response. In the ACL deficient knees, the studied muscles showed a poor adjustment to motion of EMG firing, inversely to controls. The muscle stretch reflexes showed poorer correlation with post-peak EMG activity than the ligaments. ATT control depended mainly on hamstrings activity in control knees, whereas in unstable knees, quadriceps activity was associated with more tibial translation. Acute ACL-deficient knees showed poor neuromuscular control with weak ligamentomuscular reflexes and no muscular stretch reflexes, suggesting the ineffectiveness of acute muscular reaction to provide early mechanical knee stabilization after injury.

Citing Articles

Diminished neuromuscular system adaptability following anterior cruciate ligament injury: Examination of knee muscle force variability and complexity.

Hollman J, Nagai T, Bates N, McPherson A, Schilaty N Clin Biomech (Bristol). 2021; 90:105513.

PMID: 34695603 PMC: 8633168. DOI: 10.1016/j.clinbiomech.2021.105513.

Permanent knee sensorimotor system changes following ACL injury and surgery.

Nyland J, Gamble C, Franklin T, Caborn D Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc. 2017; 25(5):1461-1474.

PMID: 28154888 DOI: 10.1007/s00167-017-4432-y.

Neuromuscular efficiency of the vastus lateralis and biceps femoris muscles in individuals with anterior cruciate ligament injuries.

Aragao F, Schafer G, Albuquerque C, Vituri R, de Azevedo F, Flor Bertolini G Rev Bras Ortop. 2015; 50(2):180-5.

PMID: 26229914 PMC: 4519626. DOI: 10.1016/j.rboe.2015.03.010.

Comparison of the postural control between football players following ACL reconstruction and healthy subjects.

Pahnabi G, Akbari M, Nakhostin Ansari N, Mardani M, Ahmadi M, Rostami M Med J Islam Repub Iran. 2015; 28:101.

PMID: 25664302 PMC: 4301235.

Extension and flexion torque variability in ACL deficiency.

Skurvydas A, Masiulis N, Gudas R, Dargeviciute G, Parulyte D, Trumpickas V Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc. 2011; 19(8):1307-13.

PMID: 21302043 DOI: 10.1007/s00167-011-1425-0.

References

Hoyt D, Wickler S, Biewener A, Cogger E, De La Paz K . In vivo muscle function vs speed. I. Muscle strain in relation to length change of the muscle-tendon unit. J Exp Biol. 2005; 208(Pt 6):1175-90. DOI: 10.1242/jeb.01486. View

Dhaher Y, Tsoumanis A, Rymer W . Reflex muscle contractions can be elicited by valgus positional perturbations of the human knee. J Biomech. 2003; 36(2):199-209. DOI: 10.1016/s0021-9290(02)00334-2. View

Zhou B, Baratta R, Solomonow M, Olivier 3rd L, DAmbrosia R . Evaluation of isometric antagonist coactivation strategies of electrically stimulated muscles. IEEE Trans Biomed Eng. 1996; 43(2):150-60. DOI: 10.1109/10.481984. View

Hinterwimmer S, Baumgart R, Plitz W . Tension changes in the collateral ligaments of a cruciate ligament-deficient knee joint: an experimental biomechanical study. Arch Orthop Trauma Surg. 2002; 122(8):454-8. DOI: 10.1007/s00402-002-0432-5. View

Gomez-Barrena E, Munuera L . Segmental sensory innervation of the anterior cruciate ligament and the patellar tendon of the cat's knee. Acta Orthop Scand. 1996; 67(6):545-52. DOI: 10.3109/17453679608997753. View

Parmiggiani F, Stein R . Nonlinear summation of contractions in cat muscles. II. Later facilitation and stiffness changes. J Gen Physiol. 1981; 78(3):295-311. PMC: 2228630. DOI: 10.1085/jgp.78.3.295. View

Hill R, Kleinman L, Chitwood Jr W, Wechsler A . Segmental mid-wall myocardial dimensions in man recorded by sonomicrometry. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 1978; 76(2):235-43. View

Jensen T, Kjaer M, Krogsgaard M, Dyhre-Poulsen P, Magnusson S . Is proprioception altered during loaded knee extension shortly after ACL rupture?. Int J Sports Med. 2001; 22(5):385-91. DOI: 10.1055/s-2001-15790. View

Biewener A . Future directions for the analysis of musculoskeletal design and locomotor performance. J Morphol. 2002; 252(1):38-51. DOI: 10.1002/jmor.10015. View

10.

Populin L . Anesthetics change the excitation/inhibition balance that governs sensory processing in the cat superior colliculus. J Neurosci. 2005; 25(25):5903-14. PMC: 6724800. DOI: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1147-05.2005. View

11.

Maitland M, Leonard T, Frank C, Shrive N, Herzog W . Method to assess in vivo knee stability longitudinally in an animal model of ligament injury. J Orthop Res. 1998; 16(4):441-7. DOI: 10.1002/jor.1100160408. View

12.

Halata Z, Haus J . The ultrastructure of sensory nerve endings in human anterior cruciate ligament. Anat Embryol (Berl). 1989; 179(5):415-21. DOI: 10.1007/BF00319583. View

13.

Tsuda E, Ishibashi Y, Okamura Y, Toh S . Restoration of anterior cruciate ligament-hamstring reflex arc after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc. 2003; 11(2):63-7. DOI: 10.1007/s00167-002-0338-3. View

14.

Adachi N, Ochi M, Uchio Y, Iwasa J, Ryoke K, Kuriwaka M . Mechanoreceptors in the anterior cruciate ligament contribute to the joint position sense. Acta Orthop Scand. 2002; 73(3):330-4. DOI: 10.1080/000164702320155356 . View

15.

Beynnon B, Johnson R, Fleming B . The science of anterior cruciate ligament rehabilitation. Clin Orthop Relat Res. 2002; (402):9-20. DOI: 10.1097/00003086-200209000-00003. View

16.

Biau D, Tournoux C, Katsahian S, Schranz P, Nizard R . Bone-patellar tendon-bone autografts versus hamstring autografts for reconstruction of anterior cruciate ligament: meta-analysis. BMJ. 2006; 332(7548):995-1001. PMC: 1450040. DOI: 10.1136/bmj.38784.384109.2F. View

17.

Jennings A, Seedhom B . Proprioception in the knee and reflex hamstring contraction latency. J Bone Joint Surg Br. 1994; 76(3):491-4. View

18.

Engstrom B, Gornitzka J, Johansson C, Wredmark T . Knee function after anterior cruciate ligament ruptures treated conservatively. Int Orthop. 1993; 17(4):208-13. DOI: 10.1007/BF00194180. View

19.

Maitland M, Leonard T, Frank C, Shrive N, Herzog W . Longitudinal measurement of tibial motion relative to the femur during passive displacements in the cat before and after anterior cruciate ligament transection. J Orthop Res. 1998; 16(4):448-54. DOI: 10.1002/jor.1100160409. View

20.

Chmielewski T, Ramsey D, Snyder-Mackler L . Evidence for differential control of tibial position in perturbed unilateral stance after acute ACL rupture. J Orthop Res. 2004; 23(1):54-60. DOI: 10.1016/j.orthres.2004.05.011. View