Quadriceps and Hamstring Strength Symmetry After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction: A Prospective Study


HARPUT G., BAYRAKCI TUNAY V., Ithurburn M. P.

JOURNAL OF SPORT REHABILITATION, cilt.30, sa.1, ss.1-8, 2021 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier identifier

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Cilt numarası: 30 Sayı: 1
  • Basım Tarihi: 2021
  • Doi Numarası: 10.1123/jsr.2019-0271
  • Dergi Adı: JOURNAL OF SPORT REHABILITATION
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, EMBASE, MEDLINE
  • Sayfa Sayıları: ss.1-8
  • Hacettepe Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

Objectives: To evaluate change in involved and uninvolved quadriceps and hamstring strength and limb symmetry indices (LSI) in regular intervals over the first 6 months following anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR). Design: Prospective cohort study. Participants: Thirty-eight male participants (mean age: 24.2 [6.4] y, mean body mass index: 23.6 [4.2] kg,/m 2 ), who underwent ACLR were included. Main Outcome Measures: Isometric strength testing of the quadriceps and hamstring muscles was performed at 1, 2, 3, and 6 months after ACLR. Quadriceps and hamstring peak torques for each limb and LSI were calculated. Repeated-measures analysis of covariance and paired t tests were used to evaluate changes in strength over time and between limbs, respectively. Results: Quadriceps and hamstring peak torques of the involved limb consistently increased between each time point from 1 to 6 months (P < .001 and P = .01, respectively), whereas the uninvolved limb values did not change after ACLR (P> .05). In addition, uninvolved limb peak torque values were higher than involved limb values at each time point after ACLR for both the quadriceps and hamstrings (all P < .01). At 6 months after ACLR, 28.9% of participants demonstrated LSI greater than 90% for quadriceps strength, 36.8% demonstrated LSI greater than 90% for hamstring strength, and 15.8% of participants demonstrated greater than 90% LSI for both quadriceps and hamstring strength. Conclusions: Participants demonstrated a consistent increase in quadriceps and hamstring strength of the involved limb, with no notable change in uninvolved limb strength over the 6 months after ACLR. However, at 6 months after ACLR, only approximately 16% of participants demonstrated both quadriceps and hamstring strength LSI greater than 90%, the typically recommended cutoff value for return to sport.