Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42601629›Full record

ArticleKnee surgery & related research2026

Auditory-cued terminal knee extension enhances vastus medialis motor unit function in the early phase following ACL reconstruction: a randomized controlled trial.

Sakda Nitkotom, Pisit Lertwanich, Pongthanayos Kiratisin, Poramate Suntornon, Ainthira Sonsukong, Patitta Rangsiyanon, Apicha Tosapornsupaluck, Roongthiwa Vachalathiti, Kantheera Areerak, Tananthorn Piamthipmanas and 2 more

Registry-linked trialAbstract read
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In one paragraph

Article in Knee surgery & related research, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT06662955 (Terminal Knee Extension Exercise Synchronize With Audible Cues on Motor Unit Behavior of Vastus Medialis Muscle in Athletes With Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction), which is not on this map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

NCT06662955 narecruitingnot on this map

Terminal Knee Extension Exercise Synchronize With Audible Cues on Motor Unit Behavior of Vastus Medialis Muscle in Athletes With Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction

TypeinterventionalSponsorMahidol UniversityRan2024 to 2026Enrolled40ConditionsTherapeutic Exercise, Physical Therapy Techniques, Neuromuscular FunctionArmsaudible cues, Exercise
3 · Its place in the literature

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No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors.

Sakda NitkotomBiomechanics and Sports Research Unit, Faculty of Physical Therapy, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand.
Pisit LertwanichDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.
Pongthanayos KiratisinBiomechanics and Sports Research Unit, Faculty of Physical Therapy, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand.
Poramate SuntornonCollege of Sports Science and Technology, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand.
Ainthira SonsukongBiomechanics and Sports Research Unit, Faculty of Physical Therapy, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand.
Patitta RangsiyanonDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.
Apicha TosapornsupaluckDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.
Roongthiwa VachalathitiMusculoskeletal Physical Therapy Research Unit, Faculty of Physical Therapy, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand.
Kantheera AreerakBiomechanics and Sports Research Unit, Faculty of Physical Therapy, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand.
Tananthorn PiamthipmanasGolden Jubilee Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand.
Kornkit ChaijenkijCollege of Sports Science and Technology, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand.
Komsak SinsurinBiomechanics and Sports Research Unit, Faculty of Physical Therapy, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand. komsak.sin@mahidol.ac.th.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4632-3230

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundFollowing anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR), the vastus medialis (VM) commonly exhibits functional deficits largely attributed to neuromuscular alterations. This study aimed to investigate the immediate effects of terminal knee extension (TKE) exercise synchronized with auditory cues on VM motor unit behavior in individuals 2 weeks postACLR.

methodsThe study recruited 38 individuals who underwent primary ACLR 2 weeks postsurgery and they were randomly assigned to experimental or control groups. The experimental group performed three sets of TKE exercises synchronized with auditory cues; the control group performed identical exercises without auditory cues. Before and after the intervention, VM muscle activity, motor unit action potential (MUAP), and motor unit firing rate (MUFR) were assessed during knee extension using a Trigno-Galileo electromyography system. Within and between-group differences were analyzed using parametric or nonparametric methods, as appropriate, on the basis of data distribution. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05.

resultsData from 20 participants (10 experimental, 10 control) were included in the final analysis. The auditory-cued group demonstrated significantly greater increases in peak [12.59 (IQR 17.89) µV, p = 0.043] and average [11.31 (IQR 3.04) µV, p = 0.029] MUAP compared with the noncued group [6.26 (IQR 11.02) µV and 2.24 (IQR 9.94) µV, respectively]. Moreover, only the auditory-cued group showed significant postintervention increases in average electromyography (EMG) activity [pre: 14.23 (IQR 11.37) µV; post: 17.60 (IQR 20.94) µV; p = 0.007], average MUAP [pre: 43.07 (IQR 34.30) µV; post: 50.33 (IQR 36.12) µV; p = 0.005], peak MUAP [pre: 55.54 (IQR 50.35) µV; post: 61.69 (IQR 52.92) µV; p = 0.005], and peak MUFR (pre: 10.50 ± 4.29 pps; post: 12.66 ± 3.36 pps; p = 0.016) after the intervention.

conclusionsA single session of TKE exercise synchronized with auditory cues significantly increased MUAP in the VM muscle in individuals 2 weeks post-ACLR. These findings likely reflect enhanced acute neural drive and improved VM motor unit recruitment. Auditory-cued TKE may represent a potential strategy to enhance neuromuscular control during the early postoperative phase. However, these effects reflect only immediate responses, and the persistence of these adaptations with longer-term training remains to be determined.

trial registrationNCT06662955 (25 October 2024, on ClinicalTrials.gov).

Indexed as

Action potentialControl groupElectromyographyMotor-sensory integrationNeuromuscular exercise

Identifiers

PMID42601629
PMCPMC13476933

What Socratic holds

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Registered trials

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.