title: Effects of a Short-Term Conditioning Intervention on Knee Flexor Sensorimotor and Neuromuscular Performance in Men.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Long-term conditioning programs for enhanced sensorimotor performance have been causally linked to reduced risk of serious ligamentous injury. However, the efficacy of brief, short-term conditioning interventions has not been established.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess the effects of short-term sensorimotor conditioning on the knee flexors.
  
  
  METHODS
  Randomized controlled trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  University research laboratory.
  
  
  METHODS
  23 males randomly assigned to conditioning (n = 12; age: 20.5 ± 1.8 y; height: 1.80 ± 0.05 m; body mass: 74.3 ± 6.0 kg [mean ± SD]) and no-conditioning control (n = 11; age: 20.6 ± 1.9 y; height: 1.79 ± 0.05 m; body mass: 73.6 ± 6.3 kg) groups.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sensorimotor conditioning of the nondominant leg (4 sessions/wk; 3 wk).
  
  
  METHODS
  Sensorimotor (blind force and limb-position-replication errors) and neuromuscular (peak force, electromechanical delay [volitional and magnetically evoked]) performance of the knee flexors of both legs were assessed. The contralateral limb and an antecedent period of no conditioning were controls.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The conditioned leg showed decreased force error to 3.8% (3.8 ± 6.9% vs 6.3 ± 3.7% [mean ± SD], post- vs preconditioning, respectively; F1,21= 5.4; P = .04) and a trend toward decreased positional error to 2.0% (2.0 ± 6.9% vs 4.7 ± 7.7%, post- vs preconditioning; F1,21= 2.7; P = .06). Performances were not altered in the control conditions. Modest improvements were noted for volitional electromechanical delay following conditioning (39.8 ± 4.3 ms vs 42.3 ± 5.2 ms [F1,21= 7.2; P = .01]), but peak force (overall, 202 ± 78 N) and magnetically evoked electromechanical delay (24.7 ± 4.2 ms) were not influenced.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Short-term conditioning offered improved sensorimotor performance and positively affected neuromuscular determinants of knee flexor performance in men.
authors.forename: Maria Angelika
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Peer
authors.forename: Nigel
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gleeson
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D009119:Muscle Contraction; D053580:Muscle Strength; D064797:Physical Conditioning, Human; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: exercise; ligament injury; prevention