Effect of rehabilitation on neuro-cognitive characteristics of male athletes with reconstructed anterior cruciate ligament injury

Neuro-cognitive and motor tasks closely affect neuromuscular coordination, athletic performance, and muscloskeletal injures. Neuro-cognitive skills with muscular strength is an important factor in returning to sports activities, yet this factor is rarely considered. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of neuromuscular rehabilitation on Neuro-cognitive characteristics of male athletes with reconstructed anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury.
A total of 10 male athletes with ACL reconstruction participated in the current study. Choice auditory and visual reaction times, complex choice auditory and visual reaction times, as well as anticipation skill at high and low speeds were evaluated using Speed Anticipation Reaction Test (SART) software prior to and after 12 weeks of rehabilitation. Accelerate model Brotzman rehabilitation protocol was implemented. To compare the means before and after rehabilitation, paired t-test was run.
After a period of rehabilitation, experimental group showed considerable improvement. Significant differences in choice (p=0/001) and complex visual (p=0/001) RT, and anticipation skill in low speed (p=0/013) were observed, but no significant differences were found in choice (p=0/156) and complex auditory (p=0/658) RT, and anticipation skill in high speed (p=0/071) despite the improvement, compared with those in the athletes before the rehabilitation period (P It seems that the reduction of neuro-cognitive skills, including visual reaction time and anticipation skill is associated with loss of neuromuscular control. On the other hand, it seems that traditional rehabilitation based on neuromuscular skills can improve neuro-cognitive factors and improve visual reaction time and anticipation skill.