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Relationship of leg muscle strength and knee function in the early period after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction
Author(s) -
Morrissey M.C.,
Hooper D.M.,
Drechsler W.I.,
Hill H.J.
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
scandinavian journal of medicine and science in sports
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.575
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1600-0838
pISSN - 0905-7188
DOI - 10.1046/j.1600-0838.2003.366.x
Subject(s) - medicine , anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction , knee joint , knee flexion , anterior cruciate ligament , concentric , physical medicine and rehabilitation , muscle strength , range of motion , orthodontics , physical therapy , anatomy , surgery , mathematics , geometry
The purpose of this descriptive study was to assess the relationship between knee function and the strength testing performance of various leg muscles in the early period after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR). Twenty‐four patients who had recent ACLR (seven females and 17 males, mean age=27 years) were tested for leg muscle strength and knee function 2 weeks after surgery. The concentric peak torques of the hip and knee extensors and knee flexors were measured at 210° s −1 . In addition, the latter two muscle groups were measured at 60° s −1 , and also isometrically (at a knee angle of 60°). Knee function was assessed using a three‐dimensional motion analysis system combined with a force platform. This system determined knee joint angles, torques and powers during level walking, stair ascent and stair descent. Pearson's correlation coefficients were calculated to assess the relationships between the injured knee function variables and the injured/uninjured strength ratios. The correlation coefficients ranged (in absolute value) from 0.03 to 0.81, and were generally higher for the stair tasks compared with level walking, and highest for the knee extensors (as compared with the knee flexors and hip extensors), and the strength test velocity appears much less important than the muscle group tested. These results contribute evidence indicating the importance of knee extensor strength to knee function in the early period after ACLR.