A HYPOTHESIS OF ETIOLOGY OF ATRAUMATIC ACL INJURIES

Abstract

Atraumatic ACL injury has become more and more frequent especially in sport population. The causes which determine the ACL rupture, have not been identified and the possible relationship between proprioception and subjective function has not been adequately studied. Several authors (Schutte et al. 1987, Schultz et al. 1984) have found the mechanoreceptors in the cruciate ligament, and such receptors formed by muscle spindles, receptors in tendons and in skin determine a complex system for knee joint proprioception. Our starting hypothesis is that a possible cause of ACL lesion could be due to temporary inhibition of the muscular control following an alteration of the propioceptive joint control. The purpose of this study was to verify by a kinesiologic procedure if some stimulation of the subtalus joint could induce an inadequate recruitment of muscle fibers activation.