[Isokinetic comparative study at the third postoperative month after surgery of the anterior cruciate ligament with arthroscopy or after mini-arthrotomy].
OBJECTIVE
A double blind prospective study was performed in 64 patients with a clinical and isokinetic assessment three months after anterior cruciate ligament (A.C.L.) reconstruction.


METHODS
This work included 64 patients (47 males and 17 females), divided in two groups: 41 patients had an arthroscopically assisted bone-tendon-bone A.C.L. reconstruction, 17 had an open procedure. The isokinetic records concerned peak torque and muscular work at two different speeds.


RESULTS
Three months after surgery there was no significant difference between both groups particularly what concerns the isokinetic assessment in muscular performances. Peak torque in hamstring averaged 151.4 Nm in the open procedure group and 149.2 Nm in the arthroscopically assisted group (p = 0.7), in quadriceps 156.10 Nm vs 149.3 Nm (p = 0.47).


CONCLUSIONS
The advantages of arthroscopy in early muscular recovery are rarely admitted in medical literature.


CONCLUSIONS
The favorable opinion of the authors to the arthroscopically assisted A.C.L. reconstruction concerning its rapid muscular recovery abilities is only based on subjective criterions.
Franceschi
J P
JP
Service d'orthopédie-traumatologie, Hôpital de la Conception, Marseille.
Rochwerger
A
A
Benezet
P
P
Bataille
J F
JF
Viton
J M
JM
Groulier
P
P
D016118:Anterior Cruciate Ligament / Q000502:physiology* / Q000601:surgery*; D001182:Arthroscopy; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D008297:Male; D011184:Postoperative Period; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D013997:Time Factors