Isokinetic Muscle Strength in Recreational Athletes with Partial ACL Lesions Treated with Surgical Reconstruction
Partial lesions of the Anterior Cruciate Ligament that involve complete
tearing of 1 of the 2 bundles—anteromedial and posterolateral —or an increase
in vascularity of the ACL fibers (as in intrasubstance ruptures) can cause significant knee instability,
especially in young patients with high functional demands.
The reported rate of ACL partial tears ranges from 10% to 35%.
The treatment of partial ACL lesions is usually conservative; however, surgical treatment may be required in cases of persistent symptomatic instability, especially in young patients with high functional demands.
Although different surgical techniques are described in the literature, that which
spares the intact portion of the ACL is viewed more positively. In this surgical technique the
remnant ACL is preserved and reinforced via hamstring autografting.
The advantages of this surgical technique include the following: a) the intact remnant
may protect the autograft and maintain its blood supply, providing support
for the healing process in the autograft; b) sparing the intact portion of the ACL fibers may maintain some proprioceptive innervation of the ACL, thus providing faster and safer return to sports activity.
Earlier studies have shown that sparing the intact portion of the ACL has a positive effect on joint stability, joint
position sense, and functional scores in patients that undergo surgical reconstruction of partial ACL lesions1,7-9; however, no study has examined the ability of this surgical technique to restore isokinetic muscle strength in patients with partial ACL lesions. As such, the present study aimed to assess isokinetic muscle strength following surgical reconstruction of partial ACL lesions. It was hypothesized that this surgical procedure would
result in optimal isokinetic muscle strength.
Orthop Res Traumatol Open J. 2016; 1(1): 14-19. doi: 10.17140/ORTOJ-1-103
