Thoughts About ACL From An Expert

Sal Marinello comes with quite the credentials as a personal trainer:

CSCS, NSCA-CPT, USA Weightlifting Certified Coach
President, Millburn-Short Hills Athletic Club
Head Athletic Development Coach, Mercy College (NY)
Head Athletic Development Coach, Chatham (NJ) High School

I met the New York native during our stint at Blogcritics and have kept in contact over the years. He graciously allows Sportsperspectives to rip his articles onto our site. Read his work at Health and Fitness Advice.

I contacted him about the recent ACL study I posted earlier. Here's what he said. Very illuminating.

One of the major topics was new research on ACL post-surgery. Interestingly, the latest findings are that no matter how the ACL heals and seems to be good to go after 9 months, it really takes about 2 years for the knee to be fit for competition. The fascia system that covers the muscle tissue has its own nervous system, and where the ACL and other ligaments were thought to be separate structures, now these ligaments are known to be part of the fascia system. Furthermore, it was believed the brain set detailed instructions to the different body parts in order to create movement.

Now it is known that the brain sends a general signal and the decision on how to move is made locally through the proprioceptive system that includes the nervous system of the fascia. Since new ACLs are not part of the original structure and aren't ACLs, but other tendons that have been grafted, the proprioceptive system cannot function properly. So signals may be sent by the local proprioceptors, but with this new ligament in place it cannot receive or send any signals because it is not part of the structure. Incredibly interesting stuff and why we're seeing a lot of re-dos with ACL reconstructions.



There's also Arthogenic Muscle Inhibition, where the leg opposite the surgery loses strength for an unknown reason. This also occurs in the affected leg, but there is a growing amount of incidents where the healthy leg is being affected by AMI and there isn't an understanding - yet - as to why this is happening.

Told you it was enlightening. It has its own nervous system. No wonder it's an incredibly intricate and complex injury.