The purpose of this study was to investigate the electromechanical properties of muscle after ACL reconstruction and examine the changes in these properties during the post surgical recovery period. Post surgical subjects demonstrate delayed response to volitional muscle contraction. This causes decreased neuromuscular coordination which makes coordinated movement difficult, delays rehabilitation and may predispose the subject to further injury. It is not known if the prolonged reaction time to stimulus is a results of central nervous system delay, impaired proprioception, or as a result of increased muscle elasticity in the series of elastic component, muscle fiber alterations, or excitation/contraction coupling of the affected muscle, or perhaps both.
