{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,5]],"date-time":"2026-08-05T08:49:14Z","timestamp":1785919754541,"version":"3.56.0"},"reference-count":44,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"15","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,3]],"date-time":"2026-08-03T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1785715200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Sensors"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background: Fatigue during intense activity challenges the neuromuscular system and can reveal deficits not evident during lower-demand functional tasks. In individuals with anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR), differences in graft source may be associated with graft-specific neuromuscular adaptations. Although fatigue-related neuromuscular deficits after ACLR have been reported, few studies have examined whether these responses differ according to graft type during running. This study investigated the effects of running-induced fatigue on lower-limb muscle activity during the stance phase in ACLR patients with different graft types, compared with healthy controls. Methods: Fifty-three active males were allocated into four groups: single-bundle hamstring tendon (SB-HT), double-bundle hamstring tendon (DB-HT), allograft, and healthy controls. Participants completed a treadmill-based fatigue protocol that was terminated when they reached a Borg score &gt; 17, which served as the primary criterion for confirming a high level of perceived fatigue. Heart rate \u2265 85% of estimated maximum heart rate was recorded as a complementary physiological indicator of high-intensity exertion. Electromyography (EMG) amplitudes of eight lower-limb muscles were recorded during the early and late stance phases of running, before and after fatigue. A two-way mixed-model ANOVA evaluated the effects of graft type and fatigue condition. Results: Fatigue reduced semitendinosus (p = 0.042, \u03b7p2 = 0.091) and gluteus medius (p &lt; 0.001, \u03b7p2 = 0.442) activation during early stance regardless of group. Late-stance group effects were significant for the tibialis anterior, gastrocnemius, rectus femoris, biceps femoris, semitendinosus, and gluteus medius (p \u2264 0.05). Across stance phases, the SB-HT group showed greater hamstring and gluteus medius activation than healthy controls (p = 0.003\u20130.041), while the allograft group showed greater tibialis anterior, gastrocnemius, and rectus femoris activation during late stance (p = 0.005\u20130.043). The only significant group \u00d7 fatigue interaction was observed for vastus medialis (p = 0.002, \u03b7p2 = 0.279), reflecting a fatigue-related reduction in the DB-HT group. Conclusions: Graft type was associated with distinct lower-limb EMG activation patterns during running after ACLR. Fatigue revealed a DB-HT-specific reduction in vastus medialis activation, while the allograft and SB-HT groups showed different compensatory activation profiles. These findings suggest that graft-specific neuromuscular adaptations during fatigue should be considered when developing rehabilitation protocols to improve functional stability and future joint health.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/s26154904","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,3]],"date-time":"2026-08-03T15:51:23Z","timestamp":1785772283000},"page":"4904","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Graft-Specific Neuromuscular Responses and EMG Activities During Running Before and After Running-Induced Fatigue in Individuals with ACL Reconstruction"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"26","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0088-303X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Heidar","family":"Sajedi","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Movement and Training Sciences, Sport Science Faculty, D\u00fczce University, 81000 Duzce, Turkey"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Mahsa","family":"Habibi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Sports Biomechanics, Faculty of Educational Sciences and Psychology, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil P.O. Box 179, Iran"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"AmirAli","family":"Jafarnezhadgero","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Sports Biomechanics, Faculty of Educational Sciences and Psychology, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil P.O. Box 179, Iran"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ebrahim","family":"Piri","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Sports Biomechanics, Faculty of Educational Sciences and Psychology, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil P.O. Box 179, Iran"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Kate","family":"E Webster","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Allied Health, Human Services and Sport, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Melbourne 3550, VIC, Australia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Valdeci Carlos","family":"Dionisio","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Physical Education and Physiotherapy, Federal University of Uberlandia, Uberlandia 38408-100, MG, Brazil"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,3]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"159","DOI":"10.1007\/s42978-019-0019-2","article-title":"Differences in kinetics, kinematics and muscle activation strategies in male and female team sport athletes during unanticipated sidestepping","volume":"1","author":"Weir","year":"2019","journal-title":"J. Sci. 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