title: Neuromuscular efficiency of the vastus lateralis and biceps femoris muscles in individuals with anterior cruciate ligament injuries.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To analyze strength and integrated electromyography (IEMG) data in order to determine the neuromuscular efficiency (NME) of the vastus lateralis (VL) and biceps femoris (BF) muscles in patients with anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries, during the preoperative and postoperative periods; and to compare the injured limb at these two times, using the non-operated limb as a control.
  
  
  METHODS
  EMG data and BF and VL strength data were collected during three maximum isometric contractions in knee flexion and extension movements. The assessment protocol was applied before the operation and two months after the operation, and the NME of the BF and VL muscles was obtained.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no difference in the NME of the VL muscle from before to after the operation. On the other hand, the NME of the BF in the non-operated limb was found to have increased, two months after the surgery.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The NME provides a good estimate of muscle function because it is directly related to muscle strength and capacity for activation. However, the results indicated that two months after the ACL reconstruction procedure, at the time when loading in the open kinetic chain within rehabilitation protocols is usually started, the neuromuscular efficiency of the VL and BF had still not been reestablished.
authors.affiliation: Universidade Estadual do Oeste do Paraná, Cascavel, PR, Brazil ; Laboratório de Pesquisa do Movimento Humano (LAPEMH), Cascavel PR Brazil.
authors.forename: Fernando Amâncio
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Aragão
authors.affiliation: Hospital de Clínicas, Universidade Federal do Paraná (UFPR), Curitiba, PR, Brazil.
authors.forename: Gabriel Santo
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Schäfer
authors.affiliation: Universidade Estadual do Oeste do Paraná, Cascavel, PR, Brazil.
authors.forename: Carlos Eduardo
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: de Albuquerque
authors.affiliation: Universidade Estadual do Oeste do Paraná, Cascavel, PR, Brazil.
authors.forename: Rogério Fonseca
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Vituri
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Biomechanics and Motor Control, School of Sciences and Technology (FCT), Universidade Estadual Paulista "Júlio de Mesquita Filho" (UNESP), Presidente Prudente, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Fábio Mícolis
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: de Azevedo
authors.affiliation: Universidade Estadual do Oeste do Paraná, Cascavel, PR, Brazil.
authors.forename: Gladson Ricardo Flor
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Bertolini
keywords: Anterior cruciate ligament; Biomechanics; Muscle fatigue