Mental Imagery to Improve Quadriceps Strength Post Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction: a Feasibility Study

NCT06858293 | Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: HR-4875
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 20
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The goal of this clinical trial is to understand if people recovering from anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) surgery will complete mental imagery training and if this will improve their injured leg's strength. The main questions are:

• Will people complete a five-day mental imagery exercise schedule while in physical therapy for ACLR?
• Does mental imagery exercise help raise leg strength during ACLR recovery? Researchers will also compare if different mental imagery exercises involving leg extension or squats will change leg strength. Participants will be asked to:
• Participate in two testing sessions to make measurements of leg function
• Complete about 10 minutes of mental imagery exercises once per day for five days at home and write down whether they complete the exercises.

Conditions

Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction

Keywords

Mental Imagery; knee; strength; physical therapy

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Feasibility of Intervention

  At the end of the paper packet with instructions for mental imagery exercises, there will be a survey in which participants will record whether or not they have completed the exercises. They will be instructed to fill out this form each day even if they have not done the exercise. Investigators will assess how many days participants complete the exercises.

  Once per day for 5 days

Secondary Outcomes (1)

• Knee Extension Strength

  Pre and post 5 days of mental imagery intervention

Other Outcomes (2)

• Walking speed

  Pre and post 5 days of mental imagery intervention

• Knee range of motion

  Pre and post 5 days of mental imagery intervention

Study Arms (2)

Mental Imagery Open Chain

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants will receive a paper packet with instructions to imagine themselves performing seated maximal leg extension exercises. They will be instructed to imagine the feeling of the exercise for 5 seconds, rest for 5 seconds, and repeat this 50 times with a 2-minute rest period after the 25th repetition. They will also be asked to keep track of the exercises with tallies on a table within the packet and also to record on this table if they did not complete the exercises for that day. The participant is asked to perform the exercises on five consecutive days.

Behavioral: Mental Imagery Open Chain

Mental Imagery Closed Chain

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants will receive a paper packet with instructions to imagine themselves performing maximal standing squat exercises. They will be instructed to imagine the feeling of the exercise for 5 seconds, rest for 5 seconds, and repeat this 50 times with a 2-minute rest period after the 25th repetition. They will also be asked to keep track of the exercises with tallies on a table within the packet and also to record on this table if they did not complete the exercises for that day. The participant is asked to perform the exercises on five consecutive days.

Behavioral: Mental Imagery Closed Chain

Interventions

Mental Imagery Open Chain BEHAVIORAL

Participants will receive a paper packet with instructions to imagine themselves performing seated maximal leg extension exercises. They will be instructed to imagine the feeling of the exercise for 5 seconds, rest for 5 seconds, and repeat this 50 times with a 2-minute rest period after the 25th repetition. They will also be asked to keep track of the exercises with tallies on a table within the packet and also to record on this table if they did not complete the exercises for that day. The participant is asked to perform the exercises on five consecutive days.

Mental Imagery Open Chain

Mental Imagery Closed Chain BEHAVIORAL

Participants will receive a paper packet with instructions to imagine themselves performing maximal standing squat exercises. They will be instructed to imagine the feeling of the exercise for 5 seconds, rest for 5 seconds, and repeat this 50 times with a 2-minute rest period after the 25th repetition. They will also be asked to keep track of the exercises with tallies on a table within the packet and also to record on this table if they did not complete the exercises for that day. The participant is asked to perform the exercises on five consecutive days.

Mental Imagery Closed Chain

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• post anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) surgery
• cleared to participate in physical therapy
• currently in physical therapy related to ACLR

You may not qualify if:

• greater than 9 months post ACLR surgery
• history of lower back of hip pain that would limit lower limb motor testing
• current neurological condition that limits muscle strength
• history of substance abuse in the last 5 years
• any uncontrolled medical condition
• inability to follow 2-step commands

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Marquette University: lead

Study Sites (1)

Marquette University

Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 53233, United States

RECRUITING

Central Study Contacts

Allison S Hyngstrom, PT, Ph.D.

CONTACT

4142884566; allison.hyngstrom@marquette.edu

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: OTHER
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: February 27, 2025
• First Posted: March 5, 2025
• Study Start: February 14, 2025
• Primary Completion: January 28, 2026
• Study Completion: January 28, 2026
• Last Updated: March 10, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-02

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

US (1)