Michigan Split-belt Treadmill Training Program to Improve Acute Knee Biomechanics After ACL Reconstruction

NCT06529679 | Completed

• 2 other identifiers: HUM00221406_Aim21R21AR082643
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 32
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The goal of this study is to determine short-term adaptations (aftereffects) in knee loading after a 20-minute split-belt treadmill training session in patients with ACL reconstruction. Our main question for this aim are:

1. 1.Are training-mediated aftereffects in the knee joint moment greater for tied-belt walking or split-belt walking?
2. 2.Are training-mediated aftereffects in the knee joint moment different between subjects who train early stance knee loading versus subjects who train mid-stance knee loading?

Conditions

ACL; ACL Injury

Keywords

Biomechanics; Knee loading; Split-belt; Asymmetric Walking

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• ACL Limb Sagittal Plane Knee Joint Moment

  Peak sagittal plane knee moment recorded from the ACL limb during walking gait

  Before (10min), during (20min), & after training (10min)

Other Outcomes (5)

• Non-ACL Limb Sagittal Plane Knee Joint Moment

  Before (10min), during (20min), & after training (10min)

• ACL Limb Vertical Ground Reaction Force

  Before (10min), during (20min), & after training (10min)

• Non-ACL Limb Vertical Ground Reaction Force

  Before (10min), during (20min), & after training (10min)

Study Arms (2)

Early Stance Training

EXPERIMENTAL

This study arm will complete both a 20-minute split-belt \& tied-belt session. During the split-belt session, the ACL limb will walk at a faster speed (150-170% of 1.1 m/s) than the non-ACL limb (1.1 m/s). During the tied-belt session both limbs will walk at the same speed which will be set to match the faster speed of the ACL leg from the split-belt training day.

Behavioral: Split-belt Training; Behavioral: Tied-Belt Training

Mid-Stance Training

EXPERIMENTAL

This study arm will complete both a 20-minute split-belt \& tied-belt session. During the split-belt session, the ACL limb will walk at a slower speed (30-50% of 1.1 m/s) than the non-ACL limb (1.1 m/s). During the tied-belt session both limbs will walk at the same speed which will be set to match the slower speed of the ACL leg from the split-belt training day.

Behavioral: Split-belt Training; Behavioral: Tied-Belt Training

Interventions

Split-belt Training BEHAVIORAL

Walking on a split-belt treadmill in which the speed of one belt will be different (move faster or slower) than the speed of the other belt.

Early Stance Training; Mid-Stance Training

Tied-Belt Training BEHAVIORAL

Walking on a split-belt treadmill in which the speed of both belts is the same.

Early Stance Training; Mid-Stance Training

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 14 Years - 45 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Child (0-17), Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• aged 14-45 years
• suffered an acute, complete ACL rupture as confirmed by MRI and physical exam
• have undergone ACL reconstruction w autograft within the past 10 months
• willingness to participate in testing and follow-up as outlined in the protocol
• English-speaking

You may not qualify if:

• inability to provide written informed consent
• female subjects who are pregnant or are planning to become pregnant (self-reported)
• previous ACL injury
• previous surgery to either knee
• bony fracture accompanying ACL injury
• patients who experienced a knee dislocation
• patients who had their ACL reconstructed with an allograft
• patients who underwent a multi-ligamentous and/or staged ACL reconstruction

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Michigan: lead
• National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS): collaborator

Study Sites (1)

University of Michigan

Ann Arbor, Michigan, 48109, United States

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Knee Injuries; Leg Injuries; Wounds and Injuries

Study Officials

• Riann M Palmieri-Smith, PhD, ATC

  University of Michigan

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

• Chandramouli Krishnan, PT, PhD

  University of Michigan

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Professor School of Kinesiology

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: July 26, 2024
• First Posted: July 31, 2024
• Study Start: October 29, 2024
• Primary Completion: February 25, 2026
• Study Completion: February 25, 2026
• Last Updated: May 5, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-04

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will share
• Shared Documents: STUDY PROTOCOL, ICF
• Time Frame: We will strive to release data to the repository as rapidly as it is possible to analyze experiments and publish results. Data used in publications will be released at the time of publication.

Locations

US (1)