A New Way to Treat Central Nervous System Dysfunction Caused by Musculoskeletal Injuries Using Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation: A Narrative Review.

BACKGROUND

Musculoskeletal injuries can have far-reaching consequences on brain function, leading to reduced motor control, altered movement patterns, increased inhibition of the injured muscle and joint, and changes in neuroplasticity. These deficits, controlled in part by the central nervous system (CNS), might be alleviated with an appropriate adjuvant treatment. One possibly suited treatment at the CNS level is transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), which modulates cortical excitability and further neuroplasticity.

OBJECTIVES

The present review outlines the multifaceted repercussions of common musculo-skeletal injuries on CNS functions and presents original studies that mostly report beneficial effects regarding the use of the tDCS intervention in people who had experienced musculoskeletal injury rehabilitation.

RESULTS

The first evidence suggests that tDCS, targeting brain areas responsible for motor control or on sensory and pain-related brain regions, may offer significant benefits in the recovery of brain function and motor performance following musculoskeletal injuries. Key findings include enhanced motor function, altered CNS excitability and inhibition, and reduced pain perception, all contributing to improved rehabilitation outcomes. However, the paucity of studies and the heterogeneity of injuries render it challenging to ascertain the optimal treatment parameters. Furthermore, the variability regarding stimulation parameters is a crucial aspect that remains to be addressed and limits the possibility of generalizing these first findings.

CONCLUSIONS

It is concluded that well-powered trials with standardized protocols should be conducted to confirm these effects and establish clear clinical guidelines for the use of tDCS in sports injury rehabilitation.