Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear is a frequent and devastating injury in sport, especially in pivoting-contact disciplines. In many cases, athletes will undergo an ACL reconstruction (ACL-R) for recovering knee stability, preventing further injuries and returning to sport (RTS). Among the criteria for RTS, knee muscle strength is the most used objective criteria and especially the symmetry of knee flexors and/or extensors between the operated and uninjured knee. Isokinetic testing of knee muscle strength is considered as a reference for knee muscle testing during the follow up stages after ACL-R. This evaluation allows to measure the strength (torque) of knee flexors and extensors at several angular velocities. However, there is no relevant litterature about the force-velocity (Fo-v) relationship of knee flexors and extensors after ACL-R. The present study aimed to evaluate and test the differences between the Fo-v relationship parameters between the operated and uninjured knees at 4 months and 8 months after ACL-R, using the 2-points method with isokinetic testing. Also, the investigators aimed to test the impact of the type of surgery (patellar tendon autograft vs. hamstring tendon autograft) on the Fo-v relationship after ACL-R
Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Enrollment
103
The patients were referred to the sport medicine department for the post ACL-R follow-up including isokinetic knee muscle strength evaluations at 4 months and 8.months after the surgery
CHU Caen Normandie
Caen, France
Change in strength
Measurement of knee extensors and flexors peak strength (in newton.meter, Nm) on isokinetic dynamometer at two angular velocities of 60°/s and 240°/s respectively
Time frame: Time Frame: ACL group: Two evaluations on both injured and healthy knees: (1) 4 months after surgery and (2) 8 months after surgery; Routine practice following guidelines
Change in the force-velocity relationship
Calculation of the corresponding slope and maximal force (Y-intercept) of the regression line of the force-velocity curve
Time frame: Time Frame: ACL group: Two evaluations on both injured and healthy knees: (1) 4 months after surgery and (2) 8 months after surgery; Routine practice following guidelines
Individual characteristics
Personal characteristics recorded in the medical report as age, gender, type of sport and sport level of practice and return to sport after the surgery
Time frame: Time Frame: ACL group: Two evaluations on both injured and healthy knees: (1) 4 months after surgery and (2) 8 months after surgery; Routine practice following guidelines
Injury characteristics
Injury characteristics recorded in the medical report as the type of injury (ACL only, ACL and meniscus, ACL with other ligament injury, recurrent ACL injury) the time before surgery, the type of rehabilitation before and after surgery
Time frame: Time Frame: ACL group: Two evaluations on both injured and healthy knees: (1) 4 months after surgery and (2) 8 months after surgery; Routine practice following guidelines
Surgery characteristics
Surgery characteristics recorded in the medical report as the type of surgery, the surgery duration and tourniquet time
Time frame: Time Frame: ACL group: Two evaluations on both injured and healthy knees: (1) 4 months after surgery and (2) 8 months after surgery; Routine practice following guidelines
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