Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury, Knee Injury
Conditions
Keywords
Knee, plyometrics, motor learning, psychological factors
Brief summary
While surgical anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) of the knee restores passive stability, studies are showing consistently poor long-term outcomes. Unusually high risks of early-onset osteoarthritis and re-injury, and low rate of return to sport following ACLR all seem to be related to a chronic tendency to land stiff-legged from a jump or hop, which itself may be due to fear of re-injury. Decreased knee bending for force absorption simultaneously decreases performance level and increases risk for injury and arthritic changes. The purpose of the proposed study is to compare a current best-practice plyometric training program to one utilizing body weight support to increase repetition and improve performance in the initial phases. The investigators hypothesize that we will see larger improvements in absorptive capacity of the knee and better confidence in activity immediately following body weight support training, as well as improved retention of training effects after a two-month period.
Interventions
PROCEDUREStandard Plyometric Training
Participants will undergo individualized practice exercises of jumping, hopping, and cutting tasks consistent with standard published exercises.
PROCEDUREPlyometric Training with BWS
Participants will undergo individualized practice exercises of jumping, hopping, and cutting tasks consistent with standard published exercises while their body weight is supported via adjustable harness.
Sponsors
Foundation for Physical Therapy, Inc.
American Physical Therapy Association
University of Montana
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
DOUBLE (Subject, Outcomes Assessor)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
12 Years to 35 Years
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* speak and understand English * age between 12-35 years * unilateral anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction between 6-48 months prior * activity level greater than or equal to level 5 on the Tegner Activity Scale
Exclusion criteria
* Weight in excess of 300 pounds (136 kg) * contralateral/bilateral ACL reconstruction or an unreconstructed ACL injury * history of a posterior cruciate ligament injury * lower extremity of back injury or other condition (e.g. cerebral palsy) that has limited their normal activities of daily living within the last 6 months
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| Change in sagittal plane knee kinetics and kinematics | Baseline and after 8 weeks of training |
| Change in psychological readiness for sports activities via survey scores | baseline and after 8 weeks of training |
| Change in motor patterning via electromyography of quadriceps and hamstring muscles | Baseline and after 8 weeks of training |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| Retention of Biomechanical Adaptions in Knee kinetics and kinematics | Change from end of 8 weeks of training to 2 month follow-up |
| Retention of adaptations in Psychological Readiness for Sport via survey | Change from end of 8 weeks of training to 2 month follow-up |
| Retention of adaptations in motor patterning via electromyography | Change from end of 8 weeks of training to 2 month follow-up |
Countries
United States
Outcome results
None listed