title: Effects of anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction on neuromuscular tensiomyographic characteristics of the lower extremity in competitive male soccer players.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effects of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction on mechanical and contractile properties of the skeletal muscles of the lower extremities in soccer players through tensiomyography (TMG).
  
  
  METHODS
  All soccer players with acute ACL tear included underwent resting TMG assessment of muscles of both lower extremities before and 1 year after ACL reconstruction. The muscles assessed were vastus medialis (VM), vastus laterals (VL), rectus femoris (RF), semitendinosus (ST), biceps femoris (BF), gastrocnemius medialis (GM), and gastrocnemius lateralis (GL). The TMG parameters obtained for each muscle were maximal displacement (D m), delay time (T d), contraction time (T c), sustained time (T s), and half-relaxation time (T r).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The injured leg had a significant decrease in VL-T c, ST-T c, GM-T c, GL-T r, and GL-T d, and a significant increase in VM-T r and GM-T s in the postoperative compared to preoperative period. The non-injured leg demonstrated significant preoperative-postoperative changes in the VL, RF, and BF, but not in VM, ST, GM, and GL The magnitude of preoperative-postoperative differences in the injured leg was significantly higher in RF-T c, ST-T c, BF-D m, and GL-T r, but lower in RF-T r and GM-T s, compared to the non-injured leg. Both groups improved their symmetry between the quadriceps and hamstring muscle groups in both sides.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The quadriceps muscles improved their resistance to fatigue and contraction velocity in both sides, and the hamstring muscles improved their contraction velocity and muscle tone in both sides as well. Improvements in contraction velocity and muscle tone were more evident in the quadriceps and hamstrings of the injured compared to the uninjured side. In addition, the intervention increased the percentage of symmetry between both sides in the TMG of the quadriceps muscles and the balance between ACL-agonist (hamstrings) and ACL-antagonist (quadriceps) muscle groups in both sides. This study shows how ACL reconstruction (and subsequent rehabilitation) can positively impact neuromuscular characteristics of the quadriceps and hamstrings.
  
  
  METHODS
  Therapeutic, Level II.
authors.affiliation: Mutualidad de Futbolistas, Federación Española de Fútbol, Delegación Cataluña, Barcelona, Spain. dr.pedroalvarezdiaz@gmail.com.|Fundación García-Cugat, Barcelona, Spain. dr.pedroalvarezdiaz@gmail.com.|Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Hospital Quirón, Plaza Alfonso Comín 5-7, 08023, Barcelona, Spain. dr.pedroalvarezdiaz@gmail.com.|Universitat Internacional de Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain. dr.pedroalvarezdiaz@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Pedro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Alvarez-Diaz
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Traumatology. Parc de Salut Mar, Hospital del Mar & Hospital de l'Esperança, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona (UAB), Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Eduard
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Alentorn-Geli
authors.affiliation: Fundación García-Cugat, Barcelona, Spain.|Universitat Internacional de Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain.|Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Hospital Quirón, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ramon
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Hospital Quirón, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Miguel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Marin
authors.affiliation: Mutualidad de Futbolistas, Federación Española de Fútbol, Delegación Cataluña, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Gilbert
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Steinbacher
authors.affiliation: Mutualidad de Futbolistas, Federación Española de Fútbol, Delegación Cataluña, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rius
authors.affiliation: Fundación García-Cugat, Barcelona, Spain.|Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Hospital Quirón, Plaza Alfonso Comín 5-7, 08023, Barcelona, Spain.|Universitat Internacional de Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Seijas
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona (UAB), Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Jordi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ballester
authors.affiliation: Mutualidad de Futbolistas, Federación Española de Fútbol, Delegación Cataluña, Barcelona, Spain.|Fundación García-Cugat, Barcelona, Spain.|Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Hospital Quirón, Plaza Alfonso Comín 5-7, 08023, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Ramon
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cugat
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D059549:Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction; D004576:Electromyography; D006801:Humans; D035002:Lower Extremity / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000502:physiology; D009129:Muscle Tonus / Q000502:physiology; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000502:physiology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012916:Soccer / Q000502:physiology
keywords: ACL reconstruction; Neuromuscular; Soccer players; Tensiomyography