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Hamstrings co-activation in ACL-deficient subjects during isometric whole-leg extensions

  • Knee
  • Published:
Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy Aims and scope

Abstract

It has been reported that anterior cruciate ligament (ACL)-deficient subjects increase the level of hamstrings activation and this has been interpreted as a means to cope with increased anterior tibial laxity in the knee. This study aimed to establish to what extent co-activation strategies in ACL-deficient subjects are load level and knee angle dependent. Eleven chronic ACL-deficient and 15 control subjects were positioned in a range of postures and asked to exert a feedback controlled vertical ground reaction force (GRF; 30, 60% and maximum), while horizontal forces were not constrained. Surface electromyography of the leg muscles and GRF were measured. In postures with the knee over and in front of the ankle, ACL-deficient subjects generated, respectively, 2.4 and 5.1% MVC more hamstrings activation than control subjects. Enhanced hamstrings co-activation in ACL-deficient subjects was more apparent in extended than in flexed knee angles. For both ACL-deficient and control subjects, hamstrings co-activation was larger in males than in females. It is concluded that ACL-deficient subjects show a task dependent increase in hamstrings co-activation, but its clinical significance remains to be shown.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Jiska van Kempen and Linda Faber for their assistance with the data collection.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Research Institute Move, Faculty of Human Movement Sciences, VU University Amsterdam, Van der Boechorststraat 9, 1081 BT, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Sietske Aalbersberg, Idsart Kingma & Jaap H. van Dieën

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  1. Sietske Aalbersberg
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  2. Idsart Kingma
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  3. Jaap H. van Dieën
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Correspondence to Idsart Kingma.

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Aalbersberg, S., Kingma, I. & van Dieën, J.H. Hamstrings co-activation in ACL-deficient subjects during isometric whole-leg extensions. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc 17, 946–955 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00167-009-0802-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00167-009-0802-4

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