Changes in the Force-velocity Relationship of Knee Muscles After ACL Reconstruction (FoVeA)

Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear is a frequent and devastating injury in sport, especially in pivoting-contact disciplines. In many cases, athletes will undergo an ACL reconstruction (ACL-R) for recovering knee stability, preventing further injuries and returning to sport (RTS). Among the criteria for RTS, knee muscle strength is the most used objective criteria and especially the symmetry of knee flexors and/or extensors between the operated and uninjured knee.

Isokinetic testing of knee muscle strength is considered as a reference for knee muscle testing during the follow up stages after ACL-R. This evaluation allows to measure the strength (torque) of knee flexors and extensors at several angular velocities. However, there is no relevant litterature about the force-velocity (Fo-v) relationship of knee flexors and extensors after ACL-R.

The present study aimed to evaluate and test the differences between the Fo-v relationship parameters between the operated and uninjured knees at 4 months and 8 months after ACL-R, using the 2-points method with isokinetic testing. Also, the investigators aimed to test the impact of the type of surgery (patellar tendon autograft vs. hamstring tendon autograft) on the Fo-v relationship after ACL-R

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Muscle Weakness; Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Follow-up after Anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Actual): 103

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• France
  • Caen, France, 14000
    • CHU Caen Normandie

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 16 years to 55 years (Child, Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

All sports patients included in the sport medicine follow-up protocole with isokinetic muscular assessment at 4 months and 8 months after ACL reconstruction surgery since January 2017

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Patients who have had an ACL reconstruction surgery (isolated or associated with other meniscal or ligamentary surgery)
• Patient included in the sport medicine follow-up protocole with intermediate and final isokinetic muscular assessment at 4 months and8 months after surgery respectively
• Patients who completed both tests at the 60°/s and 240°/s velocities

Exclusion Criteria:

• Patient who did not participate in all follow-up consultations and isokinetic muscular assessments
• Cognitive or sensory impairment making it impossible to understand the information form
• Neurological, traumatic or osteoarticular history responsible for muscle imbalance prior to surgery

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Number of groups / cohorts

1

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort	Intervention / Treatment
ACL group; The patients were referred to the sport medicine department for the post ACL-R follow-up including isokinetic knee muscle strength evaluations at 4 months and 8 months after the surgery	Other: Follow-up after Anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction; The patients were referred to the sport medicine department for the post ACL-R follow-up including isokinetic knee muscle strength evaluations at 4 months and 8.months after the surgery

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in strength	Measurement of knee extensors and flexors peak strength (in newton.meter, Nm) on isokinetic dynamometer at two angular velocities of 60°/s and 240°/s respectively	Time Frame: ACL group: Two evaluations on both injured and healthy knees: (1) 4 months after surgery and (2) 8 months after surgery; Routine practice following guidelines
Change in the force-velocity relationship	Calculation of the corresponding slope and maximal force (Y-intercept) of the regression line of the force-velocity curve	Time Frame: ACL group: Two evaluations on both injured and healthy knees: (1) 4 months after surgery and (2) 8 months after surgery; Routine practice following guidelines

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Individual characteristics	Personal characteristics recorded in the medical report as age, gender, type of sport and sport level of practice and return to sport after the surgery	Time Frame: ACL group: Two evaluations on both injured and healthy knees: (1) 4 months after surgery and (2) 8 months after surgery; Routine practice following guidelines
Injury characteristics	Injury characteristics recorded in the medical report as the type of injury (ACL only, ACL and meniscus, ACL with other ligament injury, recurrent ACL injury) the time before surgery, the type of rehabilitation before and after surgery	Time Frame: ACL group: Two evaluations on both injured and healthy knees: (1) 4 months after surgery and (2) 8 months after surgery; Routine practice following guidelines
Surgery characteristics	Surgery characteristics recorded in the medical report as the type of surgery, the surgery duration and tourniquet time	Time Frame: ACL group: Two evaluations on both injured and healthy knees: (1) 4 months after surgery and (2) 8 months after surgery; Routine practice following guidelines

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University Hospital, Caen

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): January 15, 2017
• Primary Completion (Actual): January 15, 2020
• Study Completion (Actual): February 5, 2023

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: January 26, 2023
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: January 26, 2023
• First Posted (Actual): February 3, 2023

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): March 26, 2025
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 24, 2025
• Last Verified: March 1, 2023

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Neurologic Manifestations; Musculoskeletal Diseases; Nervous System Diseases; Muscular Diseases; Neuromuscular Manifestations; Wounds and Injuries; Pathologic Processes; Leg Injuries; Knee Injuries; Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries; Muscle Weakness
• Other Study ID Numbers: FoVeA

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No