[Graft type-related versus graft type-unrelated ACL treatment: influence on adaptation of muscle strength and motor skills].
BACKGROUND
The purposes of this study were to identify adaptational phenomena in running and walking characteristics as well as in muscle strength after an ACL injury and graft-type related ACL treatment in order to determine the effect of the different treatments on the regeneration of muscle capacity and functional motor skills for a given task.


METHODS
The investigation was conducted on 11 patients with patella reconstructions (PT: patella tendon), 12 patients with semitendinosus reconstruction (ST: semitendinosus tendon) and 10 patients without reconstruction. Besides a clinical examination, the subject's walking (1 m/s) and running (2.5 m/s) characteristics were recorded by 2 cameras operating at 50 Hz. During the same test session, we determined the force potential of the muscles surrounding the hip, knee and ankle joints during isokinetic contractions.


RESULTS
The comparison between injured and non-injured limbs revealed significant changes (p<0.05) only for the injured limb. For both types of reconstruction treatment the injured limb showed a significantly lower maximal knee extension joint moment as well as a lower angular displacement of the knee joint during the stance phase while walking and running (p<0.05). Furthermore, patients with PT reconstruction showed lower maximal knee flexion and hip flexion joint moments, and a lower angular displacement of the knee joint in flexion during the stance phase while running (p<0.05). The ratios of the maximal isokinetic knee extension moments between the injured and non injured limbs were lower for the reconstruction treatment compared to the treatment without reconstruction and further lower for the PT reconstructed compared to the ST reconstructed patients (p<0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
The findings of the present study indicate that, using a similar regeneration programme, the muscle capacities and functional motor skills show faster regeneration processes for patients without reconstruction compared to a reconstruction treatment after an ACL injury. Concerning the reconstruction treatment, PT reconstructions seem to affect the degeneration process of the muscle capacities of the treated limb more than ST reconstructions.
Karanikas
K
K
Institut für Biomechanik und Orthopädie, Deutsche Sporthochschule Köln, Köln. karanikas@web.de
Arampatzis
A
A
Brüggemann
G-P
GP
D000328:Adult; D000070598:Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries; D001182:Arthroscopy; D001265:Athletic Injuries / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005684:Gait / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007537:Isometric Contraction / Q000502:physiology; D007718:Knee Injuries / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D053580:Muscle Strength / Q000502:physiology*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular / Q000502:physiology*; D012420:Running / Q000502:physiology*; D013709:Tendon Transfer; D016138:Walking / Q000502:physiology*