Neuroplastic alterations in common synaptic inputs and synergistic motor unit clusters controlling the vastii muscles of individuals with ACL reconstruction
Stefano Nuccio, Carina Marconi Germer, Francesco Casolo, Riccardo Borzuola, Luciana Labanca, Jacopo Emanuele Rocchi, Pier Paolo Mariani, Francesco Felici, Dario Farina, Deborah Falla, Andrea Macaluso, Paola Sbriccoli, Alessandro Del Vecchio
Abstract
Chronic quadriceps dysfunction is common after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR). We investigated voluntary force control strategies by estimating common inputs to motor neurons innervating the vastii muscles. Our results showed attenuated common inputs to the vastus lateralis and plastic rearrangements in functional clusters of motor neurons modulating knee extension forces in the reconstructed limb. These findings suggest neuroplastic adjustments following ACLR that may occur to fine-tune the control of quadriceps forces.