Reflex inhibition of the quadriceps femoris muscle after injury or reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament.
A burst-superimposition technique was used to assess the strength of the quadriceps femoris muscle in three groups of patients. Group 1 comprised twenty patients who had had a torn anterior cruciate ligament of the knee and had a reconstruction of the ligament one to six months after the injury. Group 2 comprised twelve patients who had had a torn anterior cruciate ligament for an average of three months (a subacute tear). Group 3 comprised eight patients who had had a torn anterior cruciate ligament for an average of two years (a chronic tear). The patients in Groups 2 and 3 had not had an operation for the torn ligament. The patients in Groups 1 and 3 had no evidence of failure of activation of the involved quadriceps, but nine of the twelve patients in Group 2 had reflex inhibition of contraction of the muscle.
Snyder-Mackler
L
L
Department of Physical Therapy, University of Delaware, Newark, McKinly Laboratory 19716.
De Luca
P F
PF
Williams
P R
PR
Eastlack
M E
ME
Bartolozzi
A R
AR
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D016118:Anterior Cruciate Ligament / Q000601:surgery; D000070598:Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007537:Isometric Contraction; D007718:Knee Injuries / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009119:Muscle Contraction; D012018:Reflex / Q000502:physiology; D012421:Rupture; D013710:Tendons / Q000637:transplantation; D013848:Thigh