Efficacy of stairclimber versus cycle ergometry in postoperative anterior cruciate ligament rehabilitation.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the effective use of stair climbing as an alternative to cycling for knee rehabilitation in an actual injured sport population.


METHODS
Repeated-measures multivariate analyses with data collected during anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rehabilitation.


METHODS
Clinical rehabilitation setting following ACL reconstruction.


METHODS
46 athletes with ACL reconstruction (32 males, 14 females; age 25.5 +/- 8.9 yrs) were randomly assigned to either cycle or stairclimber programs previously matched by metabolic equivalents (METs) and heart rate.


METHODS
Isokinetic testing was performed at 4 and 12 weeks postoperatively on the uninjured knee to safely determine mean and peak concentric quadriceps, eccentric quadriceps, concentric hamstring, and eccentric hamstring peak torques. Pre/post leg girths were also measured bilaterally (+7.6, +15.2, +22.9, -7.6, -15.2, -22.9 cm) proximal/distal to the patella.


RESULTS
Multivariate analysis of variance indicated no differences (Wilks' Lambda F(8,37) = 1.461; p = 0.21; eta(2) = 0.240; Power = 0.556) in strength gains (NM) between cycle and stair climbing groups, respectively, in mean concentric quadriceps (58.4 +/- 12.0 vs. 37.1 +/- 13.2), peak concentric quadriceps (77.0 +/- 14.7 vs. 36.8 +/- 16.2), mean eccentric quadriceps (57.2 +/- 12.7 vs. 79.2 +/- 14.0), peak eccentric quadriceps (78.6 +/- 19.3 vs. 105.5 +/- 21.3), mean concentric hamstring (14.3 +/- 3.9 vs. 6.5 +/- 4.3), peak concentric hamstring (24.0 +/- 6.7 vs. 22.2 +/- 7.4), mean eccentric hamstring (22.6 +/- 8.6 vs. 23.8 +/- 9.5), or peak eccentric hamstring (23.5 +/- 11.2 vs. 36.7 +/- 12.3) response. A significant stair climbing effect (Wilks' Lambda F(6,37) = 2.95; p = 0.02; eta(2) = 0.324; Power = 0.843) was observed in gastrocnemius girth (-15.2 cm) in both injured (0.5 +/- 0.1 cm vs. 0.3 +/- 0.1 cm, p < 0.04) and non-injured (0.3 +/- 0.1 cm vs. 0.0 +/- 0.1 cm, p < 0.008) legs.


CONCLUSIONS
In conclusion, the results of the data suggest no deleterious effect of stair climbing on knee isokinetic performance or limb girth measurements, and confirms the use of stair climbing as a viable adjunct/alternative to cycle ergometry in ACL-injured athletes.
Meyers
Michael C
MC
Human Performance Research Center, Department of Sports and Exercise Sciences, West Texas A&M University, Canyon, TX 79016, USA. mmeyers@mail.wtamu.edu
Sterling
James C
JC
Marley
Robert R
RR
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016118:Anterior Cruciate Ligament / Q000601:surgery; D000070598:Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries; D001265:Athletic Injuries / Q000534:rehabilitation* / Q000601:surgery; D001642:Bicycling; D026241:Exercise Movement Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007718:Knee Injuries / Q000534:rehabilitation* / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D016896:Treatment Outcome