In a recent study published in the Journal of Orthopedic & Sports Physical Therapy, members from The Ohio State University MOvES research lab under the direction of Dr. James Onate and led by School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences doctoral student graduate Dr. Dustin Grooms, who is an assistant professor at Ohio University, found that brain activation for knee flexion-extension motion may be altered following ACL reconstruction (ACLR). The study discusses results from 15 participants who had undergone ACLR and 15 matched healthy controls. Functional MRI (fMRI) data were obtained for all participants during a knee motor task consisting of repeated cycles of knee flexion and extension. Results indicate that the brain fundamentally changes how it processes information from an injured knee and how those with ACLR may rely more on visual systems than movement spatial awareness.
Since being published, this study has gained national media coverage. Check out articles published on PsychCentral, Healthline News, Mass Device and watch news clips from KCNC-TV and KFVS-TV!