Advanced Neuromuscular Training Differentially Changes Performance on Visuomotor Reaction Tests and Single-leg Hop
Terese Chmielewski1, Michael Obermeier2, Adam Meierbachtol1
1Tria Orthopedic Center.
International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy
|November 6, 2024
Summary
Advanced neuromuscular training improved anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) patient performance on hop tests more than reaction tests. This highlights potential neurocognitive deficits impacting return to sport after ACLR.
Area of Science:
- Sports Medicine
- Rehabilitation Science
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Advanced neuromuscular training is crucial for athletes recovering from anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) to prepare for sport participation.
- Current return-to-sport assessments, like single-leg hop tests, may not fully capture neurocognitive demands.
- Dual-task assessments combining motor and cognitive challenges could offer deeper insights into functional recovery.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the impact of advanced neuromuscular training on visuomotor reaction tests and single-leg hop performance in patients with ACLR.
- To test the hypothesis that improvements would be less pronounced on reaction tests compared to single-leg hop tests.
Main Methods:
- A quasi-experimental, pretest-posttest design was employed with 25 ACLR patients undergoing 10 neuromuscular training sessions.
- Visuomotor reaction tests (double-leg and single-leg) and standard single-leg hop tests were administered before and after training.
- Performance metrics included correct touches, errors, hop time, hop distance, and limb symmetry index, with effect sizes calculated.
Main Results:
- Significant improvements were observed in correct touches on the double-leg reaction test (p<0.001) and decreased hop time on the single-leg reaction test (p=0.003).
- No significant changes in mean errors were noted for either reaction test (p>0.05).
- Effect sizes (Cohen's d) were largest for single-leg hop tests (0.9-1.3), followed by the double-leg reaction test (0.9), and the single-leg reaction test (0.5).
Conclusions:
- Advanced neuromuscular training enhances motor performance post-ACLR, with greater gains in single-leg hop tests than visuomotor reaction tests.
- The findings suggest residual neurocognitive reliance in ACLR patients, indicating potential limitations in dual-tasking abilities.
- Training protocols may need to incorporate more dual-task challenges to better prepare athletes for the complex demands of sport.
