Optimizing Plyometric Training for Functional Recovery Post-ACL Reconstruction

NCT02148172 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: UM IRB 282-13
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 47
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

While surgical anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) of the knee restores passive stability, studies are showing consistently poor long-term outcomes. Unusually high risks of early-onset osteoarthritis and re-injury, and low rate of return to sport following ACLR all seem to be related to a chronic tendency to land stiff-legged from a jump or hop, which itself may be due to fear of re-injury. Decreased knee bending for force absorption simultaneously decreases performance level and increases risk for injury and arthritic changes. The purpose of the proposed study is to compare a current best-practice plyometric training program to one utilizing body weight support to increase repetition and improve performance in the initial phases. The investigators hypothesize that we will see larger improvements in absorptive capacity of the knee and better confidence in activity immediately following body weight support training, as well as improved retention of training effects after a two-month period.

Conditions

Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury; Knee Injury

Keywords

Knee; plyometrics; motor learning; psychological factors

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (3)

• Change in sagittal plane knee kinetics and kinematics

  Baseline and after 8 weeks of training

• Change in psychological readiness for sports activities via survey scores

  baseline and after 8 weeks of training

• Change in motor patterning via electromyography of quadriceps and hamstring muscles

  Baseline and after 8 weeks of training

Secondary Outcomes (3)

• Retention of Biomechanical Adaptions in Knee kinetics and kinematics

  Change from end of 8 weeks of training to 2 month follow-up

• Retention of adaptations in Psychological Readiness for Sport via survey

  Change from end of 8 weeks of training to 2 month follow-up

• Retention of adaptations in motor patterning via electromyography

  Change from end of 8 weeks of training to 2 month follow-up

Study Arms (2)

Standard Plyometric Training

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Participants will undergo treatment 2 times a week for 8 weeks with plyometric exercises deemed to be consistent with best practice delivered at a standard dosage of sets and repetitions.

Procedure: Standard Plyometric Training

Plyometric Training with BWS

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants will undergo treatment 2 times a week for 8 weeks with plyometric exercises deemed to be consistent with best practice with a treatment volume of sets and repetitions that exceeds standard practice. Higher number of practice trials will be completed with body weight support (BWS) to reduce load. Participants will start at 30 percent of body weight and will be slowly weaned away over time.

Procedure: Plyometric Training with BWS

Interventions

Standard Plyometric Training PROCEDURE

Participants will undergo individualized practice exercises of jumping, hopping, and cutting tasks consistent with standard published exercises.

Standard Plyometric Training

Plyometric Training with BWS PROCEDURE

Participants will undergo individualized practice exercises of jumping, hopping, and cutting tasks consistent with standard published exercises while their body weight is supported via adjustable harness.

Plyometric Training with BWS

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 12 Years - 35 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Child (0-17), Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• speak and understand English
• age between 12-35 years
• unilateral anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction between 6-48 months prior
• activity level greater than or equal to level 5 on the Tegner Activity Scale

You may not qualify if:

• Weight in excess of 300 pounds (136 kg)
• contralateral/bilateral ACL reconstruction or an unreconstructed ACL injury
• history of a posterior cruciate ligament injury
• lower extremity of back injury or other condition (e.g. cerebral palsy) that has limited their normal activities of daily living within the last 6 months

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Montana: lead
• Foundation for Physical Therapy, Inc.: collaborator
• American Physical Therapy Association: collaborator

Study Sites (1)

University of Montana, Movement Science Laboratory

Missoula, Montana, 59812, United States

Location

Related Publications (1)

• Elias ARC, Harris KJ, LaStayo PC, Mizner RL. Clinical Efficacy of Jump Training Augmented With Body Weight Support After ACL Reconstruction: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Am J Sports Med. 2018 Jun;46(7):1650-1660. doi: 10.1177/0363546518759052. Epub 2018 Mar 20.

  PMID: 29558161 DERIVED

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries; Knee Injuries

Interventions

Plyometric Exercise

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Leg Injuries; Wounds and Injuries

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Exercise Therapy; Rehabilitation; Aftercare; Continuity of Patient Care; Patient Care; Therapeutics; Physical Therapy Modalities; Physical Conditioning, Human; Exercise; Motor Activity; Movement; Musculoskeletal Physiological Phenomena; Musculoskeletal and Neural Physiological Phenomena

Study Officials

• Ryan L Mizner, PT, PhD

  University of Montana

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: DOUBLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT, OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Associate Professor

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: May 22, 2014
• First Posted: May 28, 2014
• Study Start: January 1, 2014
• Primary Completion: December 1, 2018
• Study Completion: December 1, 2018
• Last Updated: April 25, 2019

Record last verified: 2019-04

Locations

US (1)