Neuromuscular Deficits Following Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Require Increased Duration of Rehabilitation in Collegiate Athletes
Mallory Heinzerling
University of Minnesota Duluth
Estephania D. Nunez
Abstract
One in four athletes who have experienced an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury will experience a second ACL rupture within the first year of returning to their sport. This illustrates the importance of comprehensive and effective rehabilitation and return to sport progression following ACL reconstruction for injury prevention and long-term health of the athletes. Objective: To our knowledge, no systematic review exists analyzing the relationship between the length of recovery time and reinjury rates attributed to neuromuscular deficits in collegiate athletes who have undergone anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR). Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries are prevalent among collegiate athletes and often require surgery and extensive rehabilitation. Despite advancements in surgical techniques and rehabilitation, reinjury rates remain a large concern with a considerable number of these instances attributed to neuromuscular deficits. Methods: Eight articles were found that matched criteria for the search. The search terms used were “neuromuscular,” “anterior cruciate ligament,” “reconstruction,” “neuromuscular deficit,” and “athletes.” Results: A two-year recovery period is optimal for neuromuscular re-education to address the deficits lost following injury and surgical intervention. A revised comprehensive rehabilitation and return to sport protocol is introduced that includes neuromuscular testing to address neuromuscular deficits following anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. Conclusion: Understanding the implications of recovery duration on neuromuscular rehabilitation and reinjury rates is crucial for sports medicine professionals, coaches, and athletes. This is important for developing appropriate rehabilitation strategies and injury prevention protocols for collegiate athletes that have undergone ACLR, not only for return to sport, but for lifelong function. Future research is needed to address disparities in the reinjury rates related to these different factors, including the length of time that neuromuscular testing should continue after athletes return to sport.
Key Words: Anterior Cruciate Ligament, Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction, Rehabilitation, Neuromuscular Deficit, Neuromuscular Reeducation, Collegiate Athlete
