The effectiveness of electromyostimulation following operations of the capsule-ligament system of the knee joint in athletes

Abstract

The most important factor in rehabilitation after knee joint surgery is the influencing of the atrophy of the femoral musculature and the recovery of the arthromuscular balance. Electromyostimulation (EMS) should be an additional possibility of treatment. Longitudinal section studies were performed over 6 months in a group of 45 patients after cruciate ligament surgery and for a period of 3 months after meniscus surgery in a group of 61 patients, in each case with different aftertreatment programmes (with EMS vs without EMS). Muscle function control methods were used to assess the condition of the status of function of the musculature (M. vastus medialis). The effect achieved by EMS can be objectivated especially by means of the muscular tone parameters "elastic retraction" and "total compressibility". In the group of sportsmen with EMS treatment (low frequency constant frequency programme with mini-stimulant twice daily 15 minutes) these parameters are about 30% above those of the group without EMS. Timely and on-target use of EMS after knee joint surgery yields a better starting level for rehabilitation and is in our opinion mandatory as a matter of principle especially in high-performance sportsmen.