Maximising neuromuscular performance in people with pain and injury: Moving beyond reps and sets to understand the challenges and embrace the complexity

Authors

Myles Calder Murphy, Edith Cowan UniversityFollow
Ebonie Kendra Rio
Casey Whife, Edith Cowan UniversityFollow
Christopher Latella, Edith Cowan UniversityFollow

Document Type

Journal Article

Publication Title

BMJ Open Sport and Exercise Medicine

Volume

10

Issue

2

Publisher

BMJ Publishing Group

School

Nutrition and Health Innovation Research Institute / School of Medical and Health Sciences

RAS ID

71493

Funders

Raine Medical Research Foundation / Western Australian Department of Health Innovation / Near-Miss Award

Grant Number

1006856, G1006615, G1006605

Comments

Murphy, M. C., Rio, E. K., Whife, C., & Latella, C. (2024). Maximising neuromuscular performance in people with pain and injury: moving beyond reps and sets to understand the challenges and embrace the complexity. BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine, 10(2), e001935. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjsem-2024-001935

Abstract

Rehabilitative practice is often criticised for being non-individualised, monotonous and not well aligned with foundational principles that drive continued physiological adaptation(s). However, our understanding of neuromuscular physiology is rapidly increasing and the way we programme rehabilitation is improving. This viewpoint highlights some of the potential considerations around why the adaptations achieved during rehabilitation programmes may be suboptimal. We provide basic, clinician-focused discussion about potential confounding physiological factors, and put forward several exercise-based programming recommendations and novel approaches to consider in contemporary rehabilitative practice. Specifically, we outline several potential mechanisms contributing to poor muscle activation and function that might be present following musculoskeletal injury. However, clinicians require strategies capable of attenuating these impairments to restore proper function. Therefore, we also provide an overview of recommended strength and conditioning guidelines, and novel strategies (such as external pacing and electrical stimulation techniques) that clinicians can consider to potentially improve the efficacy of musculoskeletal rehabilitation.

DOI

10.1136/bmjsem-2024-001935

Creative Commons License

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