Crossover effect of knee and ankle joint training on knee mechanics after ACL reconstruction: A randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND

Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rehabilitation is a common intervention after ACL reconstruction. Since different types of exercise can influence muscle and kinematic parameters in diverse ways, the training order between the knee and ankle joints may also change gait parameters.

PURPOSE

This study aimed to investigate whether the training sequence of the knee and ankle joints (knee followed by ankle training or vice-versa) in an ACL reconstruction (ACLR) rehabilitation program has any effects on knee extension and flexion torques.

METHODS

Forty-two men (aged 20-30 years) with ACLR participated in this study. They were randomly allocated to receive one of two interventions: (A) knee joint training followed by ankle training or (B) ankle joint training followed by knee training. After five weeks (four weeks of intervention and one-week washout), participants crossed from one group to another for an additional four weeks. Knee extension and flexion torques were assessed during the stance phase of the gait cycle before and after the intervention program.

RESULTS

Two-way Mixed-design MANOVA showed that knee extension torque improved significantly in both groups after training (p = 0.001, Cohen's D = 0.65), while the knee flexion torque increased significantly only in group B (p= 0.001, Cohen's D = 0.97). When comparing both groups, patients of group B presented significant improvements in the post-training mean values of all tested variables compared with group A.

CONCLUSION

Starting a post-ACLR rehabilitation program with ankle training followed by knee training is better to improve knee flexion and extension torques during the stance phase of the gait cycle than starting the program by training the knee first, followed by the ankle. Future studies using a mixed-gender sample and different types of ACLR operations are necessary to examine whether similar improvements will happen as well as to test their effects on many sports activities.