Associations Between Cognitive Function and ACL Injury-Related Biomechanics: A Systematic Review

Context: Does lower baseline cognitive function predispose athletes to ACL injury risk, especially when performing unplanned or dual-task movements? Objective: To evaluate the association between cognitive function and biomechanics related to ACL injuries during cognitively challenging sports movements. Data Sources: PubMed (MEDLINE), Web of Science, Scopus, and SciELO databases were searched; additional hand searching was also conducted. Study Selection: The following inclusion criteria had to be met: participants completed (1) a neurocognitive test, (2) a cognitively challenging sport-related task involving lower limbs, and (3) a biomechanical analysis. The following criteria determined exclusion from the review: studies involving participants with (1) recent or current musculoskeletal injuries; (2) recent or current concussion; (3) ACL surgical reconstruction, reviews of the literature, commentary or opinion articles, and case studies. Study Design: Systematic review using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis Protocols (PRISMA-P) statement and registered at the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO). Data Extraction: Two of authors independently extracted data and assessed the methodological quality of the articles with the Downs and Black and ROBINS-I checklists, to assess methodological quality and risk of bias, respectively. Results: Six studies with different methodologies and confounding factors were included in this review. Of these 6 studies, 3 were ranked as high-quality, 3 demonstrated a low risk of bias, 2 a moderate risk, and 1 a severe risk. Five studies found a cognitive-motor relationship, with worse cognitive performance associated with increased injury risk, with 1 study reporting the opposite directionality for 1 variable. One study did not identify any interaction between cognitive function and biomechanical outcomes. Conclusion: Worse cognitive performance is associated with an increased injury risk profile during cognitively challenging movements.

Automated summary

This study evaluated the association between cognitive function and biomechanics related to ACL injuries and found that lower cognitive performance is associated with an increased risk of injury during cognitively challenging movements.