Exercise with Audible Cues on Motor Unit Behavior in Athletes with Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction

Launched by MAHIDOL UNIVERSITY · Oct 26, 2024

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is exploring how a specific exercise called terminal knee extension (TKE) can help improve recovery for athletes who have recently had surgery to repair their anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). The researchers want to see if using a metronome, which provides a steady beat, can enhance the muscle control in the knee during this exercise. The hope is that this approach will lead to better muscle activation and quicker recovery, especially in the early stages after surgery.

To participate in this study, individuals need to be between 18 and 35 years old, have had ACL reconstruction surgery within the last two weeks, and have mild or no pain. Participants should be able to perform certain movements without restrictions and should not have any hearing issues that prevent them from following the metronome. Those who join the trial can expect to engage in a single session of the TKE exercise while listening to the metronome, and their muscle behavior will be monitored to assess the impact of this method on their recovery.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • Male or female participants who receive primary ACL reconstruction within 2 weeks with or without meniscus repair
• • No or mild resting pain (Numeric rating scale ≤ 3)
• • Reconstruction procedures using autograft including hamstrings or bone-patella bone grafts
• • Age range 18-35 years (33).
• • BMI of 18.5-25 kg/m² (34).
• • Tegner activity scale ≥ level 4
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • Non-weight bearing within 2 weeks after the operation (prescription from surgeon)
• • Hearing problem, such as being unable to hear the metronome sound or being unable to synchronize exercises with the metronome correctly
• • Limitations in knee extension range caused by joint stiffness evaluated by using passive knee range of motion
• • Unable to perform active and passive ≥ 30º knee flexion on the operative side
• • History of serious injury or operation of lower back and lower extremities such as fracture
• • Lower back or lower extremities pain within 6 months before the study
• • On the pain killer medication