title: The effect of bracing on extension strength in patients with ACL insufficiency.
abstract: One of the problems following an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury is to regain strength. We tested 11 patients (5 men, 6 women), mean age 28.4 years, with unilateral ACL insufficiency, with two braces (Donjoy Legend, and Bledsoe Brace Force III) versus a placebo brace. The patients were tested on a Biodex Dynamometer at 60 and 180 deg/s in an isokinetic mode. The experiment was designed as a comparative study in a cross-over design with the stable knee as the patient's own control. We found no statistically significant effect of the two braces compared to a placebo brace under the test conditions, and no correlation between knee laxity and the effect of bracing.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, Gentofte University Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Warming
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Jørgensen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000070598:Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D001915:Braces; D002908:Chronic Disease; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004576:Electromyography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007718:Knee Injuries / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D008297:Male; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000503:physiopathology