Abstract
CONTEXT
Long-term conditioning programs for enhanced sensorimotor performance have been causally linked to reduced risk of serious ligamentous injury. However, the efficacy of brief, short-term conditioning interventions has not been established.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the effects of short-term sensorimotor conditioning on the knee flexors.
DESIGN
Randomized controlled trial.
SETTING
University research laboratory.
PARTICIPANTS
23 males randomly assigned to conditioning (n = 12; age: 20.5 ± 1.8 y; height: 1.80 ± 0.05 m; body mass: 74.3 ± 6.0 kg [mean ± SD]) and no-conditioning control (n = 11; age: 20.6 ± 1.9 y; height: 1.79 ± 0.05 m; body mass: 73.6 ± 6.3 kg) groups.
INTERVENTION
Sensorimotor conditioning of the nondominant leg (4 sessions/wk; 3 wk).
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES
Sensorimotor (blind force and limb-position-replication errors) and neuromuscular (peak force, electromechanical delay [volitional and magnetically evoked]) performance of the knee flexors of both legs were assessed. The contralateral limb and an antecedent period of no conditioning were controls.
RESULTS
The conditioned leg showed decreased force error to 3.8% (3.8 ± 6.9% vs 6.3 ± 3.7% [mean ± SD], post- vs preconditioning, respectively; F1,21 = 5.4; P = .04) and a trend toward decreased positional error to 2.0% (2.0 ± 6.9% vs 4.7 ± 7.7%, post- vs preconditioning; F1,21 = 2.7; P = .06). Performances were not altered in the control conditions. Modest improvements were noted for volitional electromechanical delay following conditioning (39.8 ± 4.3 ms vs 42.3 ± 5.2 ms [F1,21 = 7.2; P = .01]), but peak force (overall, 202 ± 78 N) and magnetically evoked electromechanical delay (24.7 ± 4.2 ms) were not influenced.
CONCLUSION
Short-term conditioning offered improved sensorimotor performance and positively affected neuromuscular determinants of knee flexor performance in men.
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