Unique case study: Impact of single‐session neuromuscular biofeedback on motor unit properties following 12 days of Achilles tendon surgical repair

Abstract

We explored the first evidence of a single‐session neuromuscular biofeedback effect on motor unit properties, neuromuscular activation, and the Achilles tendon (AT) length 12 days after undergoing AT surgical repair. We hypothesized that immediate neuromuscular biofeedback enhances motor unit properties and activation without causing AT lengthening. After 12 days AT surgical repair, Medial Gastrocnemius (MG) motor unit decomposition was performed on a 58‐year‐old male before and after a neuromuscular biofeedback intervention (surface electromyography (sEMG) and ultrasonography), involving unressited plantar flexion. The analysis included motor unit population properties, sEMG amplitude, force paradigm, and AT length. There were increased MG motor unit recruitment, peak and average firing rate, coefficient of variation, and sEMG amplitude, and decreased recruitment and derecruitment threshold in the repaired AT limb. The non‐injured limb increased the motor unit recruitment, and decreased the coefficient of variation, peak and average firing rate, inter‐pulse interval, derecruitment threshold and sEMG amplitude. The AT length experienced −0.4 and 0.3 cm changes in the repaired AT and non‐injured limb, respectively. This single‐session neuromuscular biofeedback 12 days after AT surgery shows evidence of enhanced motor unit properties and activation without signs of AT lengthening when unresisted plantar flexion is performed in the repaired AT limb.