Accessibility & Translations
Fueling Recovery: Priming the Muscle for Rehabilitation After ACL Injury

Fueling Recovery: Priming the Muscle for Rehabilitation After ACL Injury

Only available as part of a package

Abstract:
The goal of this lecture is to reach clinicians and update the field with the latest understanding of the biological drivers of poor muscle recovery after ACL injury—evidence suggesting that persistent atrophy is not merely a consequence of reduced loading or neural inhibition, but rather the result of a dysfunctional metabolic environment within the muscle. This impaired environment appears to diminish the muscle’s capacity to respond to hypertrophic adaptive stimuli that would typically drive repair and growth.

Learning Objectives:

  • Describe the known barriers to quadriceps muscle atrophy after ACL injury, including disuse and neural inhibition.
  • Explain how mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress are present after ACL injury, and how they likely contribute to anabolic resistance and limit muscle adaptation.
  • Consider endurance-like exercise not as a secondary add-on, but as a primary, biologically targeted strategy to restore muscle health and enhance responsiveness to strength training during ACL rehabilitation.

Level:
Essential

Domain(s):
Domain 4: Therapeutic Intervention

Orthopedic Domain(s):
Domain 1: Medical Knowledge

Keywords:
Muscle atrophy; Oxidative stress; Exercise prescription

CEUs:
1.0 Category A

A Statement of Credit reflecting your CEUs will be issued immediately upon the successful completion of all course components. 


Course Expiration: 
All sessions of the NATA 77th Symposia On-Demand must be completed by December 31, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. CST.
For full details, refer to the expiration policy on our FAQ page.

Lindsey Lepley, PhD, ATC

Lindsey Lepley, PhD, ATC

Dr. Lindsey Lepley is an associate professor of Athletic Training, director of the Comparative Orthopedic Rehabilitation Laboratory, and co-director of the Orthopedic Rehabilitation & Biomechanics Laboratory at the University of Michigan School of Kinesiology. Dr. Lepley’s research program focuses on elucidating the mechanisms that regulate skeletal muscle strength, activation, and structure after traumatic joint injury to establish interventions that optimize muscle recovery. To advance clinical practice, her research group utilizes non-invasive animal injury models and human subject research to design, test, and translate new sports medicine strategies from conception to practice. This rare blend of scientific approaches empowers her lab to make fundamental discoveries about musculoskeletal health that can change rehabilitation. This work has received several research awards, is currently funded by NIH/NIAMS, and has been selected for featured presentations at national and international scientific meetings.
This content will not be available until 07/31/2026 at 12:00 AM (CDT)