Studies in Sport Medicine

Comparison of electromyography activity of the medial and lateral gastrocnemius muscle in the athletes with and without a history of anterior cruciate ligament rupturee

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 University of Mazandaran- Faculty of sports sciences- Department of motor behavior and biomechanics.

2 University of Tehran, Faculty of Physical Education and Sports Sciences, Department of Sports medicine and health

3 Neuromusculoskeltal Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences.

Abstract
The gastrocnemius muscle is one of the main muscles of the knee joint but its neuromuscular adaptations after ACL injury are poorly. The purpose of this study was to compare medial and lateral gastrocnemius preparatory and reactive activity patterns in the athletes with and without a history of ACL rupture. 15 ACL deficient, 15 ACL reconstructed and 15 control subjects participated in this cross-sectional study. ACL injured groups (ACLD and ACLR) had significantly lower lateral gastrocnemius muscle activity in the reactive phase compared to the control group. The gastrocnemius muscle is an antagonist of ACL and thus it seems that lower lateral gastrocnemius activity in ACL injured groups is a compensatory mechanism to decrease strain on ACL. .

Keywords

Main Subjects

  1. Markolf KL, O'Neill G, Jackson SR, McAllister DR. Effects of applied quadriceps and hamstrings muscle loads on forces in the anterior and posterior cruciate ligaments. The American journal of sports medicine. 2004;32(5):1144-9.
  2. Fleming BC, Oksendahl H, Beynnon BD. Open-or closed-kinetic chain exercises after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction? Exercise and sport sciences reviews. 2005;33(3):134-40.
  3. Keays SL, Bullock‐Saxton J, Newcombe P, Keays A. The relationship between knee strength and functional stability before and after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. Journal of Orthopaedic Research. 2003;21(2):231-7.
  4. Tsepis E, Vagenas G, Ristanis S, Georgoulis AD. Thigh muscle weakness in ACL-deficient knees persists without structured Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research (1976-2007). 2006;450:211-8.
  5. He X, Leong HT, Lau OY, Ong MT-Y, Yung PS-H. Altered neuromuscular activity of the lower-extremities during landing tasks in patients with anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: a systematic review of electromyographic studies. Journal of sport rehabilitation. 2020;29(8):1194-203.
  6. Ward SH, Perraton L, Bennell K, Pietrosimone B, Bryant AL. Deficits in quadriceps force control after anterior cruciate ligament injury: potential central mechanisms. Journal of athletic training. 2019;54(5):505-12.
  7. Swanik CB, Lephart SM, Giraldo JL, DeMont RG, Fu FH. Reactive muscle firing of anterior cruciate ligament-injured females during functional activities. Journal of athletic training. 1999;34(2):121.
  8. Rush JL, Norte GE, Lepley AS. Limb differences in hamstring muscle function and morphology after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. Physical Therapy in Sport. 2020;45:168-75.
  9. Kaneko F, Onari K, Kawaguchi K, Tsukisaka K, Roy SH. Electromechanical delay after ACL reconstruction: an innovative method for investigating central and peripheral contributions. Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy. 2002;32(4):158-65.
  10. Swanik CB, Lephart SM, Swanik KA, Stone DA, Fu FH. Neuromuscular dynamic restraint in women with anterior cruciate ligament injuries. Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research (1976-2007). 2004;425:189-99.
  11. Lass P, Kaalund S, Iefevre S, Arendt-Nielsen L, Sinkjæ T, Simonsen O. Muscle coordination following rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament: electromyographic studies of 14 patients. Acta orthopaedica scandinavica. 1991;62(1):9-14.
  12. Butler D, Noyes F, Grood E. Ligamentous restraints to anterior-posterior drawer in the human knee. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 1980;62(2):259-70.
  13. Chmielewski TL, Hurd WJ, Rudolph KS, Axe MJ, Snyder-Mackler L. Perturbation training improves knee kinematics and reduces muscle co-contraction after complete unilateral anterior cruciate ligament rupture. Physical therapy. 2005;85(8):740-9.
  14. Rudolph K, Axe M, Snyder-Mackler L. Dynamic stability after ACL injury: who can hop? Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy. 2000;8(5):262-9.
  15. Yanagawa T, Shelburne K, Serpas F, Pandy M. Effect of hamstrings muscle action on stability of the ACL-deficient knee in isokinetic extension exercise. Clinical biomechanics. 2002;17(9-10):705-12.
  16. Palmieri-Smith RM, Strickland M, Lepley LK. Hamstring muscle activity after primary anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction—a protective mechanism in those who do not sustain a secondary injury? A preliminary study. Sports health. 2019;11(4):316-23.
  17. Rudolph KS, Axe MJ, Buchanan TS, Scholz JP, Snyder-Mackler L. Dynamic stability in the anterior cruciate ligament deficient knee. Knee surgery, sports traumatology, arthroscopy. 2001;9(2):62-71.
  18. Shiavi R, Zhang LQ, Limbird T, Edmondstone MA. Pattern analysis of electromyographic linear envelopes exhibited by subjects with uninjured and injured knees during free and fast speed walking. Journal of orthopaedic research. 1992;10(2):226-36.
  19. Hurd WJ, Snyder‐Mackler L. Knee instability after acute ACL rupture affects movement patterns during the mid‐stance phase of gait. Journal of Orthopaedic Research. 2007;25(10):1369-77.
  20. Pamukoff DN, Pietrosimone BG, Ryan ED, Lee DR, Blackburn JT. Quadriceps function and hamstrings co-activation after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. Journal of athletic training. 2017;52(5):422-8.
  21. DeMont RG, Lephart SM, Giraldo JL, Swanik CB, Fu FH. Muscle preactivity of anterior cruciate ligament-deficient and-reconstructed females during functional activities. Journal of athletic training. 1999;34(2):115.
  22. Limbird TJ, Shiavi R, Frazer M, Borra H. EMG profiles of knee joint musculature during walking: changes induced by anterior cruciate ligament deficiency. Journal of orthopaedic research. 1988;6(5):630-8.
  23. Fleming BC, Renstrom PA, Ohlen G, Johnson RJ, Peura GD, Beynnon BD, et al. The gastrocnemius muscle is an antagonist of the anterior cruciate ligament. Journal of orthopaedic research. 2001;19(6):1178-84.
  24. Papadonikolakis A, Cooper L, Stergiou N, Georgoulis AD, Soucacos PN. Compensatory mechanisms in anterior cruciate ligament deficiency. Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy. 2003;11(4):235-43.
  25. Chmielewski TL, Rudolph KS, Snyder-Mackler L. Development of dynamic knee stability after acute ACL injury. Journal of Electromyography and Kinesiology. 2002;12(4):267-74.
  26. Kvist J, Gillquist J. Anterior positioning of tibia during motion after anterior cruciate ligament injury. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. 2001;33(7):1063-72.
  27. Reed-Jones RJ, Vallis LA. Kinematics and muscular responses to a ramp descent in the ACL deficient knee. The Knee. 2008;15(2):117-24.
  28. Klyne DM, Keays SL, Bullock-Saxton JE, Newcombe PA. The effect of anterior cruciate ligament rupture on the timing and amplitude of gastrocnemius muscle activation: a study of alterations in EMG measures and their relationship to knee joint stability. Journal of Electromyography and Kinesiology. 2012;22(3):446-55.
  29. Shultz SJ, Carcia CR, Perrin DH. Knee joint laxity affects muscle activation patterns in the healthy knee. Journal of Electromyography and Kinesiology. 2004;14(4):475-83.
  30. Hefti E, Müller W, Jakob R, Stäubli H-U. Evaluation of knee ligament injuries with the IKDC form. Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy. 1993;1(3-4):226-34.
  31. Vairo GL, Myers JB, Sell TC, Fu FH, Harner CD, Lephart SM. Neuromuscular and biomechanical landing performance subsequent to ipsilateral semitendinosus and gracilis autograft anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy. 2008;16(1):2-14.
  32. Webster K, Santamaria L, MCCLELLAND J, Feller J. Effect of fatigue on landing biomechanics after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction surgery. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. 2012;44(5):910-6.
  33. Shiavi R, Limbird T, Borra H, Edmondstone MA. Electromyography profiles of knee joint musculature during pivoting: changes induced by anterior cruciate ligament deficiency. Journal of Electromyography and Kinesiology. 1991;1(1):49-57.
  34. Lindström M, Felländer-Tsai L, Wredmark T, Henriksson M. Adaptations of gait and muscle activation in chronic ACL deficiency. Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy. 2010;18(1):106-14.
  35. Flaxman TE, Alkjær T, Smale KB, Simonsen EB, Krogsgaard MR, Benoit DL. Differences in EMG–moment relationships between ACL‐injured and uninjured adults during a weight‐bearing multidirectional force control task. Journal of Orthopaedic Research®. 2019;37(1):113-23.
  36. Cibulka M, Wenthe A, Boyle Z, Callier D, Schwerdt A, Jarman D, et al. Variation in medial and lateral gastrocnemius muscle activity with foot position. International journal of sports physical therapy. 2017;12(2):233.

 

Studies in Sport Medicine
Volume 12, Issue 28
October 2021
Pages 37-54

  • Receive Date 22 September 2020
  • Revise Date 01 March 2021
  • Accept Date 07 March 2021

Home

Publication Ethics

Submit Manuscript

news

Journal Metrics

Contact Us