Key result
Sports injuries induce central nervous system changes and neuromuscular deficits that require further research to establish evidence-based neuroplasticity and rehabilitation strategies.
Why the study?
Treatment for central nervous system and neurocognitive fluctuations following sports injuries remains relatively uncovered, and neuromuscular deficits are frequently not assessed or intervened during rehabilitation practices.
Highlights the importance of addressing central nervous system changes and neuroplasticity in the rehabilitation of sports injuries.
May support CNS-targeted rehab strategies in sports injuries; hypothesis-generating and requires prospective validation.
Currently, the treatment for the central nervous system (CNS) and neurocognitive fluctuations as a result of sports injuries is considered a relatively uncovered area under the sports neuroscience paradigm. For example, the compensatory neural changes (e.g., brain cortical changes) and the cognitive load can create a feedforward loop that affects recovery and relapse after a musculoskeletal injury. Although several methodologies have been promoted (e.g., brain mapping systems, inhibitory control, and cognitive flexibility), neuromuscular deficits are frequently non-assessed and non-intervened during rehabilitation practices. Here we present an up-to-date description of the most relevant CNS changes after injury, the concept of somatotopic maps, and their relationship with motor control, intracortical inhibition, and cortical facilitation processes. Neuroplasticity strategies beyond the traditional structural-based approaches on the injured tissue are also covered; however, further research is needed to establish evidence-based recommendations for sports professionals.
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Vélez-Gutiérrez et al. (2022) conducted an editorial in Sports injuries. Sports injuries induce central nervous system changes and neuromuscular deficits that require further research to establish evidence-based neuroplasticity and rehabilitation strategies.
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