Neuroplasticity Associated With Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury

Activation of the brain for knee movement changes after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. The brain activation profile after ACL reconstruction indicates a shift to a visual-motor control strategy, as opposed to a sensory-motor control strategy to control the knee movement. Recent research suggests that ACL reconstruction rehabilitation protocols should also consider neurocognition and its role in exercise, neuromuscular control, and injury risk to improve the effectiveness of the intervention. However, there is currently no evidence of the feasibility of neurocognitive exercise in a primary rehabilitation program that aims to restore movement function after ACL damage. The purpose of this study is to assess whether conventional ACL injury training with additional cognitive training based on virtual reality is as effective as the sole conventional ACL injury training in participants with ACL injuries.