ReviewArchives of physiotherapy2023
Sex-specific differences in neuromuscular activation of the knee stabilizing muscles in adults - a systematic review.
Review in Archives of physiotherapy, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 9 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
9 citing papers in PubMed.
- Examining Neuromuscular and Cortical Activity Over 1 Year Following Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction.Scandinavian journal of medicine & science in sports · 2026Observational
- Sex Differences in Knee Flexor Strength and Limb Symmetry Across Different Strength Testing Conditions in Healthy Recreational Athletes.Journal of clinical medicine · 2026Article
- Wearable sensor assessment of neuromuscular latency: revealing the strength-timing trade-off in female soccer.BMC sports science, medicine & rehabilitation · 2026Article
- Epidemiology of Injuries in Women's Rugby Sevens: A Systematic Review.Sports (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Review
- Age, sex and physical activity differences in the knee joint loadings during walking-a cross-sectional study.Frontiers in bioengineering and biotechnology · 2026Article
- Effects of a Multicomponent Periodized Program in Kinematic and Muscle Activity Characteristics Related to Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury Mechanism in College Football Players-A Controlled Trial.Journal of functional morphology and kinesiology · 2025Article
- Neuromuscular Fatigue Profile of Prepubertal and Adult Female Handball Players.Sports (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
- Sex-Specific Muscle Activity and Kinematics of the Posterior Kinetic Chain Targeting Hamstring Strengthening Exercises and Sprinting: A Cross-Sectional Study.International journal of sports physical therapy · 2025Article
- Neuromuscular control in males and females 1 year after an anterior cruciate ligament rupture or reconstruction during stair descent and artificial tibial translation.Scientific reports · 2023Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
3 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
introductionThe rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is one of the most common injuries of the knee. Women have a higher injury rate for ACL ruptures than men. Various indicators for this sex-specific difference are controversially discussed.
aimA systematic review of the literature that compares surface electromyography (EMG) values of adult female and male subjects to find out if there is a difference in neuromuscular activation of the knee stabilizing muscles.
methodsThis systematic review has been guided and informed by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines. Studies which examined sex-specific differences with surface EMG measurements (integral, root mean squares, mean values, analysis of time and amplitude) of the knee stabilizing muscles were retrieved via searches from the databases PubMed, CINAHL, Embase, CENTRAL and SPORTDiscus. The risk of bias of included studies was assessed with the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) study quality assessment tool. A synthesis of results was performed for relevant outcomes.
resultsFifteen studies with 462 healthy participants, 233 women (mean age 21.9 (± 2.29) years) and 299 men (mean age 22.6 (± 2.43) years), were included in the systematic review. The methodological quality of the studies was mostly rated "fair" (40%). A significantly higher activity of the muscles vastus lateralis and vastus medialis was found in females, in three studies. Two studies found significantly lower neuromuscular activity in the muscles biceps femoris and semitendinosus in females. All other included studies found no significant differences or reported even contradicting results.
conclusionThe controversial findings do not allow for a concluding answer to the question of a sex-specific neuromuscular activation. Further research with higher statistical power and a more homogeneous methodical procedure (tasks and data normalisation) of the included studies may provide insight into possibly existing sex-specific differences in neuromuscular activation. This systematic review could help to improve the methodical design of future studies to get a more valid conclusion of the issue.
trial registrationCRD42020189504.
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