The Kinetic Chain Has a Brain: Could Adding Cognitive Demands in Lower Limb Injury Prevention Programs Improve Outcomes?

The most effective lower limb injury prevention programs include strength training, balance exercises, and instructions on how to land safely from a jump or hop. Yet, the programs are not 100% effective-lower extremity noncontact injuries continue to be a significant problem. We suggest that adding cognitive training to motor tasks that currently comprise current lower limb injury prevention programs might help clinicians, athletes, and coaches continue to make inroads into preventing knee injuries.

Lower Kinetic Chain, Meet the Thinking Brain: A Scoping Review of Cognitive Function and Lower Extremity Injury Risk.

Unlabelled: The classic model of non-contact ACL injury includes environmental, anatomical, hormonal and biomechanical risk factors which directly impact either the amount of stress placed on the ligament or the relative capacity of ligament to withstand the forces placed on it. However, cognition also clearly plays a role in successful athletic performance, yet diminished cognitive function is rarely considered a risk factor for injury.

Objective: To examine the existing literature to determine the extent to which cognitive function (both cognitive ability and task cognitive load) influences non-contact lower extremity injury risk in male and female athletes with a broad variety of athletic expertise.