title: Knee flexor strength following anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction with the semitendinosus and gracilis tendons.
abstract: Knee flexor strength recovery following anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction with the doubled semitendinosus and gracilis tendons was assessed for up to 12 months post-surgery. Twelve patients were followed up, four at 3 months, five at 6 months and three at 12 months post-surgery. Knee flexor moment was recorded using the Biodex System-3 isokinetic dynamometer. Three sets of five repetitions of reciprocal eccentric/ concentric knee flexion contractions were carried out with each set at 1.05, 2.09 or 3.14 rad x s(-1). T-tests were used to test for significant differences between and within groups. The uninjured leg produced greater average peak moments than the injured leg; significant differences (p < 0.05) were seen between the legs at 1.05 rad x s(-1) for the 3-month group concentrically, and all three groups eccentrically. There was no significant difference (p > 0.05) between groups for the percentage deficit between legs. On average, a 23% deficit in average peak moment was still evident at 12 months both eccentrically and concentrically at 1.05 rad x s(-1). Taken as a whole this evidence suggests that there is a deficit in knee flexor strength up to at least 12 months post-surgery following doubled semitendinosus and gracilis tendon graft reconstruction even after a full rehabilitation protocol.
authors.affiliation: Sheffield Institute of Sports Medicine and Exercise Science, The University of Sheffield, UK. R.C.Coombs@uel.ac.uk
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Coombs
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Cochrane
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016118:Anterior Cruciate Ligament / Q000601:surgery*; D000070598:Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries; D001265:Athletic Injuries / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D009068:Movement; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013710:Tendons / Q000637:transplantation*; D019415:Torque