Evaluation of static and dynamic balance in athletes with anterior cruciate ligament injury - A controlled study.
OBJECTIVE
Anterior cruciate ligament injury leads to adaptive responses to maintain postural control. However, there is no consensus regarding whether leg dominance also affects postural control in athletes with anterior cruciate ligament injury. The purpose of this study was to evaluate dynamic and static postural control among athletes with and without anterior cruciate ligament injury to the dominant leg.


METHODS
Twenty-eight athletes, twenty-one males and seven females aged 15-45 years, were allocated to one of two groups: the anterior cruciate ligament injury group (26±3 years) or the control group without anterior cruciate ligament injury (25±6.5 years). All subjects performed one legged stance tests under eyes open and eyes closed conditions and squat and kick movement tests using a postural control protocol (AccuSwayPlus force platform, Massachusetts). The center of pressure displacement and speed were measured by the force platform. In addition, the distance traveled on the single-leg hop test was assessed as an objective measure of function.


RESULTS
Significantly greater mediolateral sway was found under the eyes closed condition (p=0.04) and during squat movement (p=0.01) in the anterior cruciate ligament injury group than in the control group. Analysis of the single-leg hop test results showed no difference between the groups (p=0.73).


CONCLUSIONS
Athletes with anterior cruciate ligament injury had greater mediolateral displacement of the center of pressure toward the dominant leg under the eyes closed condition and during squat movement compared to control athletes.
Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, Instituto de Ortopedia e Traumatologia, Grupo de Medicina do Esporte - FIFA, São Paulo/SP, Brazil.|Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, Instituto de Ortopedia e Traumatologia, Laboratório de Cinesiologia (LEM), São Paulo/SP, Brazil.|Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Bioengineering Laboratory, Boston, MA, USA.
Tiago Lazzaretti
TL
Fernandes
Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, Instituto de Ortopedia e Traumatologia, Grupo de Medicina do Esporte - FIFA, São Paulo/SP, Brazil.|Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, Instituto de Ortopedia e Traumatologia, Laboratório de Cinesiologia (LEM), São Paulo/SP, Brazil.
Ellen Cristina Rodrigues
EC
Felix
Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, Instituto de Ortopedia e Traumatologia, Grupo de Medicina do Esporte - FIFA, São Paulo/SP, Brazil.|Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, Instituto de Ortopedia e Traumatologia, Laboratório de Cinesiologia (LEM), São Paulo/SP, Brazil.
Felipe
F
Bessa
Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, Instituto de Ortopedia e Traumatologia, Grupo de Medicina do Esporte - FIFA, São Paulo/SP, Brazil.|Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, Instituto de Ortopedia e Traumatologia, Laboratório de Cinesiologia (LEM), São Paulo/SP, Brazil.
Natália Ms
NM
Luna
Boston Children's Hospital, Department of Orthopedics, Division of Sports Medicine, Boston, MA, USA.|The Micheli Center for Sports Injury Prevention, Waltham, MA, USA.
Dai
D
Sugimoto
Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, Instituto de Ortopedia e Traumatologia, Grupo de Medicina do Esporte - FIFA, São Paulo/SP, Brazil.|Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, Instituto de Ortopedia e Traumatologia, Laboratório de Cinesiologia (LEM), São Paulo/SP, Brazil.
Júlia Maria D'Andrea
JM
Greve
Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, Instituto de Ortopedia e Traumatologia, Grupo de Medicina do Esporte - FIFA, São Paulo/SP, Brazil.|Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, Instituto de Ortopedia e Traumatologia, Laboratório de Cinesiologia (LEM), São Paulo/SP, Brazil.
Arnaldo José
AJ
Hernandez
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016118:Anterior Cruciate Ligament / Q000503:physiopathology; D000070598:Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries / Q000503:physiopathology*; D056352:Athletes; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality; D006801:Humans; D007593:Joint Instability / Q000503:physiopathology; D007717:Knee / Q000503:physiopathology; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000503:physiopathology; D007866:Leg / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009068:Movement / Q000502:physiology; D004856:Postural Balance / Q000502:physiology*; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular / Q000502:physiology; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D055815:Young Adult