Central Nervous System Adaptation After Ligamentous Injury: a Summary of Theories, Evidence, and Clinical Interpretation

The array of dysfunction occurring after ligamentous injury is tied to long-term clinical impairments in functional performance, joint stability, and health-related quality of life. To appropriately treat individuals, and in an attempt to avoid sequelae such as post-traumatic osteoarthritis, investigators have sought to better establish the etiology of the persistent dysfunction present in patients who have sustained joint ligament injuries to the lower extremities. Recent evidence has suggested that changes within the brain and central nervous system may underlie these functional deficits, with support arising from direct neurophysiologic measures of somatosensory dysfunction, motor system excitability, and plasticity of neural networks. As research begins to utilize these findings to develop targeted interventions to enhance patient outcomes, it is crucial for sports medicine professionals to understand the current body of evidence related to neuroplasticity after ligamentous injury. Therefore, this review provides (1) a comprehensive and succinct overview of the neurophysiologic techniques utilized in assessing central nervous system function after ligamentous injury, (2) a summary of the findings of previous investigations utilizing these techniques, and (3) direction for further application of these techniques in the prevention and rehabilitation of joint injury.