Skip to main content
PMC home page
Journal of Athletic Training logoLink to Journal of Athletic Training
. 1999 Apr-Jun;34(2):106–114.

Effects of Muscular Fatigue on Knee Joint Laxity and Neuromuscular Characteristics of Male and Female Athletes

Susan L Rozzi *, Scott M Lephart †, Freddie H Fu ‡
PMCID: PMC1322898  PMID: 16558552

Abstract

Objective:

To elucidate the effects of muscular fatigue on knee joint laxity and the neuromuscular characteristics of male and female athletes. We were particularly interested in determining whether such effects would be more pronounced in female athletes than in males participating in the same sport.

Design and Setting:

Subjects were assessed on 4 dependent variables during a rested and an isokinetically induced muscular fatigue state. We ensured that posttesting measurements were obtained in the fatigued state by testing only 2 dependent variables after each exercise bout.

Subjects:

We recruited male (n = 17) and female (n = 17) subjects from a population of healthy collegiate basketball and soccer players.

Measurements:

Measured dependent variables were as follows: anterior tibial translation, kinesthesia determined by assessing the threshold to detection of passive motion moving into knee flexion and extension; lower extremity balance ability quantified through a stability index value; and the electromyography-measured muscle activity of 6 knee-stabilizing muscles.

Results:

In response to muscular fatigue, subjects demonstrated an overall decrease in the ability to detect joint motion moving into the direction of extension, an increase in the onset of contraction time for the medial hamstring and lateral gastrocnemius muscles, and an increase in the first contraction area of the vastus medialis and vastus lateralis muscles. Additionally, the increase in area of the vastus lateralis was greater for the males compared with the females.

Conclusions:

Our results suggest that both male and female athletes exhibit decrements in proprioceptive ability and alterations in muscular activity subsequent to muscular fatigue.

Keywords: electromyography, anterior cruciate ligament, proprioception

Full text

PDF
114

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Anderson A. F., Lipscomb A. B., Liudahl K. J., Addlestone R. B. Analysis of the intercondylar notch by computed tomography. Am J Sports Med. 1987 Nov-Dec;15(6):547–552. doi: 10.1177/036354658701500605. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Arendt E., Dick R. Knee injury patterns among men and women in collegiate basketball and soccer. NCAA data and review of literature. Am J Sports Med. 1995 Nov-Dec;23(6):694–701. doi: 10.1177/036354659502300611. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Barrett G. R., Rose J. M., Ried E. M. Relationship of anterior cruciate ligament injury to notch width index (a roentgenographic study). J Miss State Med Assoc. 1992 Aug;33(8):279–283. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Daniel D. M., Malcom L. L., Losse G., Stone M. L., Sachs R., Burks R. Instrumented measurement of anterior laxity of the knee. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 1985 Jun;67(5):720–726. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Daniel D. M., Stone M. L., Sachs R., Malcom L. Instrumented measurement of anterior knee laxity in patients with acute anterior cruciate ligament disruption. Am J Sports Med. 1985 Nov-Dec;13(6):401–407. doi: 10.1177/036354658501300607. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Davis J. A., Brewer J. Applied physiology of female soccer players. Sports Med. 1993 Sep;16(3):180–189. doi: 10.2165/00007256-199316030-00003. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Dietz V., Noth J., Schmidtbleicher D. Interaction between pre-activity and stretch reflex in human triceps brachii during landing from forward falls. J Physiol. 1981 Feb;311:113–125. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1981.sp013576. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Dyhre-Poulsen P., Simonsen E. B., Voigt M. Dynamic control of muscle stiffness and H reflex modulation during hopping and jumping in man. J Physiol. 1991 Jun;437:287–304. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1991.sp018596. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Forster I. W., Warren-Smith C. D., Tew M. Is the KT1000 knee ligament arthrometer reliable? J Bone Joint Surg Br. 1989 Nov;71(5):843–847. doi: 10.1302/0301-620X.71B5.2584257. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Gersten J. W., Cenkovich F. S., Jones G. D. Harmonic analysis of normal and abnormal electromyograms. Am J Phys Med. 1965 Oct;44(5):235–240. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Gray J., Taunton J. E., McKenzie D. C., Clement D. B., McConkey J. P., Davidson R. G. A survey of injuries to the anterior cruciate ligament of the knee in female basketball players. Int J Sports Med. 1985 Dec;6(6):314–316. doi: 10.1055/s-2008-1025861. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Gray J., Taunton J. E., McKenzie D. C., Clement D. B., McConkey J. P., Davidson R. G. A survey of injuries to the anterior cruciate ligament of the knee in female basketball players. Int J Sports Med. 1985 Dec;6(6):314–316. doi: 10.1055/s-2008-1025861. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Greenwood R., Hopkins A. Landing from an unexpected fall and a voluntary step. Brain. 1976 Jun;99(2):375–386. doi: 10.1093/brain/99.2.375. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Hagbarth K. E., Bongiovanni L. G., Nordin M. Reduced servo-control of fatigued human finger extensor and flexor muscles. J Physiol. 1995 Jun 15;485(Pt 3):865–872. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1995.sp020776. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Hall M. G., Ferrell W. R., Sturrock R. D., Hamblen D. L., Baxendale R. H. The effect of the hypermobility syndrome on knee joint proprioception. Br J Rheumatol. 1995 Feb;34(2):121–125. doi: 10.1093/rheumatology/34.2.121. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Harner C. D., Paulos L. E., Greenwald A. E., Rosenberg T. D., Cooley V. C. Detailed analysis of patients with bilateral anterior cruciate ligament injuries. Am J Sports Med. 1994 Jan-Feb;22(1):37–43. doi: 10.1177/036354659402200107. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Henry J. H., Lareau B., Neigut D. The injury rate in professional basketball. Am J Sports Med. 1982 Jan-Feb;10(1):16–18. doi: 10.1177/036354658201000104. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Jackson D. W., Jarrett H., Bailey D., Kausek J., Swanson J., Powell J. W. Injury prediction in the young athlete: a preliminary report. Am J Sports Med. 1978 Jan-Feb;6(1):6–14. doi: 10.1177/036354657800600103. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Johansson S., Larsson L. E., Ortengren R. An automated method for the frequency analysis of myoelectric signals evaluated by an investigation of the spectral changes following strong sustained contractions. Med Biol Eng. 1970 May;8(3):257–264. doi: 10.1007/BF02477242. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Johnston R. B., 3rd, Howard M. E., Cawley P. W., Losse G. M. Effect of lower extremity muscular fatigue on motor control performance. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1998 Dec;30(12):1703–1707. doi: 10.1097/00005768-199812000-00008. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Kaufman K. R., An K. N., Litchy W. J., Morrey B. F., Chao E. Y. Dynamic joint forces during knee isokinetic exercise. Am J Sports Med. 1991 May-Jun;19(3):305–316. doi: 10.1177/036354659101900317. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Lindenfeld T. N., Schmitt D. J., Hendy M. P., Mangine R. E., Noyes F. R. Incidence of injury in indoor soccer. Am J Sports Med. 1994 May-Jun;22(3):364–371. doi: 10.1177/036354659402200312. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Loudon J. K., Jenkins W., Loudon K. L. The relationship between static posture and ACL injury in female athletes. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 1996 Aug;24(2):91–97. doi: 10.2519/jospt.1996.24.2.91. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. Lund-Hanssen H., Gannon J., Engebretsen L., Holen K. J., Anda S., Vatten L. Intercondylar notch width and the risk for anterior cruciate ligament rupture. A case-control study in 46 female handball players. Acta Orthop Scand. 1994 Oct;65(5):529–532. doi: 10.3109/17453679409000907. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. Mallik A. K., Ferrell W. R., McDonald A. G., Sturrock R. D. Impaired proprioceptive acuity at the proximal interphalangeal joint in patients with the hypermobility syndrome. Br J Rheumatol. 1994 Jul;33(7):631–637. doi: 10.1093/rheumatology/33.7.631. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  26. Marks R., Quinney H. A. Effect of fatiguing maximal isokinetic quadriceps contractions on ability to estimate knee-position. Percept Mot Skills. 1993 Dec;77(3 Pt 2):1195–1202. doi: 10.2466/pms.1993.77.3f.1195. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  27. Nisell R., Ericson M. O., Németh G., Ekholm J. Tibiofemoral joint forces during isokinetic knee extension. Am J Sports Med. 1989 Jan-Feb;17(1):49–54. doi: 10.1177/036354658901700108. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  28. Nyland J. A., Shapiro R., Stine R. L., Horn T. S., Ireland M. L. Relationship of fatigued run and rapid stop to ground reaction forces, lower extremity kinematics, and muscle activation. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 1994 Sep;20(3):132–137. doi: 10.2519/jospt.1994.20.3.132. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  29. Roos H., Ornell M., Gärdsell P., Lohmander L. S., Lindstrand A. Soccer after anterior cruciate ligament injury--an incompatible combination? A national survey of incidence and risk factors and a 7-year follow-up of 310 players. Acta Orthop Scand. 1995 Apr;66(2):107–112. doi: 10.3109/17453679508995501. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  30. Rozzi S. L., Lephart S. M., Gear W. S., Fu F. H. Knee joint laxity and neuromuscular characteristics of male and female soccer and basketball players. Am J Sports Med. 1999 May-Jun;27(3):312–319. doi: 10.1177/03635465990270030801. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  31. Sakai H., Tanaka S., Kurosawa H., Masujima A. The effect of exercise on anterior knee laxity in female basketball players. Int J Sports Med. 1992 Oct;13(7):552–554. doi: 10.1055/s-2007-1024562. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  32. Schickendantz M. S., Weiker G. G. The predictive value of radiographs in the evaluation of unilateral and bilateral anterior cruciate ligament injuries. Am J Sports Med. 1993 Jan-Feb;21(1):110–113. doi: 10.1177/036354659302100118. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  33. Sharpe M. H., Miles T. S. Position sense at the elbow after fatiguing contractions. Exp Brain Res. 1993;94(1):179–182. doi: 10.1007/BF00230480. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  34. Skinner H. B., Wyatt M. P., Hodgdon J. A., Conard D. W., Barrack R. L. Effect of fatigue on joint position sense of the knee. J Orthop Res. 1986;4(1):112–118. doi: 10.1002/jor.1100040115. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  35. Souryal T. O., Freeman T. R. Intercondylar notch size and anterior cruciate ligament injuries in athletes. A prospective study. Am J Sports Med. 1993 Jul-Aug;21(4):535–539. doi: 10.1177/036354659302100410. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  36. Steiner M. E., Brown C., Zarins B., Brownstein B., Koval P. S., Stone P. Measurement of anterior-posterior displacement of the knee. A comparison of the results with instrumented devices and with clinical examination. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 1990 Oct;72(9):1307–1315. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  37. Stoller D. W., Markolf K. L., Zager S. A., Shoemaker S. C. The effects of exercise, ice, and ultrasonography on torsional laxity of the knee. Clin Orthop Relat Res. 1983 Apr;(174):172–180. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  38. Thompson H. W., McKinley P. A. Landing from a jump: the role of vision when landing from known and unknown heights. Neuroreport. 1995 Feb 15;6(3):581–584. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  39. Weisman G., Pope M. H., Johnson R. J. Cyclic loading in knee ligament injuries. Am J Sports Med. 1980 Jan-Feb;8(1):24–30. doi: 10.1177/036354658000800105. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  40. Wojtys E. M., Wylie B. B., Huston L. J. The effects of muscle fatigue on neuromuscular function and anterior tibial translation in healthy knees. Am J Sports Med. 1996 Sep-Oct;24(5):615–621. doi: 10.1177/036354659602400509. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  41. Zelisko J. A., Noble H. B., Porter M. A comparison of men's and women's professional basketball injuries. Am J Sports Med. 1982 Sep-Oct;10(5):297–299. doi: 10.1177/036354658201000507. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Journal of Athletic Training are provided here courtesy of National Athletic Trainers Association

RESOURCES