Digital illustration of ACL reconstruction with glowing muscle activation lines, symbolizing dynamic recovery and athletic lifestyle.

ACL Reconstruction: Can Dynamic Training Improve Your Knee's Response?

Beau Callahan in Health & Wellness November 2025 • 4 min read.

"A New Study Explores How Neuromuscular Training Can Enhance Recovery and Stability After ACL Surgery"

Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries are common among active adults, often resulting from sports-related activities. Reconstruction of the ACL is a standard procedure aimed at restoring joint stability. However, even with successful surgery, many patients continue to experience a sense of instability in the knee, highlighting the need for comprehensive rehabilitation strategies.

Traditional approaches to ACL rehabilitation primarily focus on restoring mechanical stability. Emerging research suggests that addressing the neuromuscular deficits that arise from ACL injuries is crucial for optimizing patient outcomes. Proprioception, the body's ability to sense its position and movement in space, is often impaired after an ACL injury, leading to altered muscle activation patterns and reduced dynamic stability.

A recent study published in the European Journal of Orthopaedic Surgery & Traumatology investigated the impact of dynamic neuromuscular training on improving muscle response and knee stability after ACL reconstruction. The study aimed to assess how muscle latency time, a measure of how quickly muscles respond to dynamic movements, changes over time with targeted training interventions. This research provides valuable insights into how rehabilitation programs can be tailored to enhance neuromuscular control and reduce the risk of re-injury.

What is Muscle Latency and Why Does It Matter for ACL Recovery?

Digital illustration of ACL reconstruction with glowing muscle activation lines, symbolizing dynamic recovery and athletic lifestyle.

Muscle latency refers to the time it takes for a muscle to activate in response to a stimulus or a movement. In the context of ACL injuries, increased muscle latency can compromise knee stability and increase the risk of secondary injuries. When the muscles surrounding the knee joint don't activate quickly enough, the joint is more vulnerable to instability during dynamic activities like jumping, pivoting, or landing.

The study employed electromyography (EMG) to measure the muscle latency time of five key leg muscles: vastus medialis, vastus lateralis, rectus femoris, semitendinosus, and biceps femoris. Participants performed a single-leg jump off a 25-cm box, and EMG signals were recorded to determine the time between touchdown and peak muscle activation. By comparing muscle latency times in the injured and non-injured knees, the researchers were able to assess the impact of ACL injury and reconstruction on neuromuscular response.

Vastus Medialis: Showed a significant delay in the injured knee before surgery. Post-surgery, dynamic training helped reduce this delay, approaching the response time of the non-injured knee.
Rectus Femoris, Biceps Femoris, and Semitendinosus: These muscles displayed similar reaction times in both injured and non-injured knees, both before and after surgery, indicating that recovery was good across these muscles.
Vastus Lateralis: While there was some improvement, it was not as significant as the vastus medialis.

The findings highlight the importance of targeted interventions to improve muscle activation patterns after ACL reconstruction. By focusing on dynamic neuromuscular control, rehabilitation programs can help patients regain knee stability, improve functional performance, and reduce the risk of re-injury. The vastus medialis, in particular, appears to be a critical muscle to target in rehabilitation efforts, given its role in knee stability and its sensitivity to ACL injury.

Empowering Your ACL Recovery with Dynamic Training

The study suggests that dynamic neuromuscular training can be a valuable tool in optimizing outcomes after ACL reconstruction. By improving muscle response and knee stability, this approach may enable patients to return to sports and daily activities sooner and with greater confidence. Patients should discuss with their physical therapists to integrate dynamic exercises into their rehabilitation programs, focusing on exercises that challenge balance, coordination, and agility. With a targeted and comprehensive approach, individuals can enhance their recovery, minimize the risk of re-injury, and regain optimal knee function after ACL reconstruction.

About this Article -

This article was crafted using a human-AI hybrid and collaborative approach. AI assisted our team with initial drafting, research insights, identifying key questions, and image generation. Our human editors guided topic selection, defined the angle, structured the content, ensured factual accuracy and relevance, refined the tone, and conducted thorough editing to deliver helpful, high-quality information.See our About page for more information.

This article is based on research published under:

DOI-LINK: 10.1007/s00590-018-2334-4, Alternate LINK

Title: A Comparative Study Of The Neuromuscular Response During A Dynamic Activity After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction

Subject: Orthopedics and Sports Medicine

Journal: European Journal of Orthopaedic Surgery & Traumatology

Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC

Authors: Gabriel Oliver, Federico Portabella, Jose A. Hernandez

Published: 2018-10-26

Everything You Need To Know

Why is dynamic neuromuscular training important after ACL reconstruction?

Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injuries often lead to a sense of instability, even after reconstruction surgery. Traditional rehabilitation focuses on mechanical stability, but addressing neuromuscular deficits is crucial. Dynamic neuromuscular training aims to improve proprioception, which is the body's ability to sense its position and movement. This training can lead to enhanced muscle activation patterns and improved dynamic stability, potentially reducing the risk of re-injury. The study suggests incorporating balance, coordination, and agility exercises into rehabilitation programs.

What is muscle latency, and why does it matter for ACL recovery?

Muscle latency is the time it takes for a muscle to activate in response to a stimulus or movement. Increased muscle latency after an ACL injury can compromise knee stability, increasing the risk of secondary injuries during dynamic activities. When muscles surrounding the knee joint don't activate quickly, the joint becomes vulnerable. Improving muscle latency through targeted training is essential for regaining knee stability and preventing re-injury. Electromyography (EMG) can measure muscle latency time to properly understand muscle activation.

How was electromyography (EMG) used to measure muscle latency in the study?

Electromyography (EMG) was used to measure muscle latency time in key leg muscles, including the vastus medialis, vastus lateralis, rectus femoris, semitendinosus, and biceps femoris. Participants performed a single-leg jump off a 25-cm box while EMG signals were recorded. By comparing muscle latency times between injured and non-injured knees, researchers assessed the impact of ACL injury and reconstruction on neuromuscular response. This approach allowed for a quantitative evaluation of the effectiveness of dynamic neuromuscular training in improving muscle activation patterns.

Which specific muscles benefit most from dynamic neuromuscular training after ACL reconstruction, based on the study's findings?

Dynamic neuromuscular training appears to have the most significant impact on the vastus medialis muscle after ACL reconstruction. The study showed a notable delay in the injured knee before surgery, but dynamic training helped reduce this delay, bringing its response time closer to that of the non-injured knee. While the vastus lateralis also showed some improvement, it wasn't as significant. The rectus femoris, biceps femoris, and semitendinosus displayed similar reaction times in both knees, indicating good recovery across these muscles.

What are the potential benefits of dynamic neuromuscular training in terms of returning to sports and daily activities after ACL reconstruction?

Dynamic neuromuscular training can improve muscle response and knee stability, potentially allowing patients to return to sports and daily activities sooner. The training focuses on exercises that challenge balance, coordination, and agility. By targeting neuromuscular control, rehabilitation programs can enhance knee stability, improve functional performance, and reduce the risk of re-injury. Consistent adherence to a comprehensive rehabilitation program is crucial for achieving optimal outcomes and regaining confidence in knee function.