Effects of Eccentric Training in the Rehabilitation of Patients Undergoing Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction: a Randomized Controlled Trial

This study aims to investigate the effects of eccentric training on the functional rehabilitation of patients undergoing Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction (ACL-R). Thirty-four participants undergoing ACL-R will be randomly assigned to two groups: the Conventional Training Group (CTG) and the Eccentric Training Group (ETG). Both groups will adhere to the same post-surgical rehabilitation program, commencing in the first week after ACL-R and continuing until the criteria for sports resumption are achieved. The rehabilitation program will be structured into four phases: immediate post-operative, preparatory, general acquisition, and specific acquisition. The key distinction between the groups lies in their exercise regimen: ETG will prioritize the eccentric phase of movement, whereas CTG will engage in conventional exercises, maintaining uniform load across both movement phases. Assessment procedures will be conducted at three intervals for all participants: immediately post-operative, at 12 weeks post-ACL-R surgery (before the initiation of the training protocol), and at 25 weeks post-ACL-R surgery (upon completion of the training protocol). The primary outcome measure will be the maximum isometric strength of knee extensors. Secondary outcomes will encompass functional status, maximum isometric strength of knee flexors, peak dynamic strength during leg press, quadriceps muscle atrophy, performance in jump tests, and psychological readiness.

Study Overview

• Status: Recruiting
• Conditions: Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction; Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Rehabilitation
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Conventional Training; Other: Eccentric Training

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 34
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Gabriela Bissani Gasparin; Phone Number: +5554991296689; Email: gabriela.gasparin@hotmail.com

Study Locations

• Brazil
  • RS
    • Veranópolis, RS, Brazil, 95330000
      • Not yet recruiting
      • Private Rehabilitation Center
      • Principal Investigator: Gabriela Bissani Gasparin
      • Contact: Gabariela Bissani Gasparin; Phone Number: +5554991296689; Email: gabriela.gasparin@hotmail.com
    • Veranópolis, RS, Brazil, 95330000
      • Recruiting
      • Private Rehabilitation Center
      • Contact: Gabariela Bissani Gasparin; Phone Number: 54991296689; Email: gabriela.gasparin@hotmail.com

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

- Individuals of both genders, aged between 18 and 40 years, scheduled for ACL reconstruction surgery during the data collection period.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Delay of more than 7 days after surgery to initiate the rehabilitation program proposed by the study;
• Presence of injuries related to the rupture of the ACL that hinder partial weight-bearing in the first week after surgery, either due to medical recommendation or the patient inability/disposition.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Single

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Active Comparator: Conventional Training Group; Conventional concentric and eccentric phases	Other: Conventional Training; Patients will execute the concentric and eccentric phases unilaterally, maintaining consistent load levels, with each phase lasting 2 seconds.
Experimental: Eccentric Training Group; Focus on the eccentric phase of movement	Other: Eccentric Training; The concentric phase will be performed bilaterally in approximately 1 second, followed by the unilateral eccentric phase lasting approximately 3 seconds.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Maximal isometric strength of knee extensors	Assessed by manual isometric dynamometry	In the 12th and 25th weeks post-surgery

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Maximum isometric strength of knee flexors	Assessed by manual isometric dynamometry	In the 12th and 25th weeks post-surgery
Maximum dynamic strength during leg press exercise	Assessed through the 1 maximum repetition test (1RM)	In the 12th and 25th weeks post-surgery
Muscle atrophy	The evaluation of muscle atrophy will be performed by measuring the circumference of the thigh (cm)	In the 12th and 25th weeks post-surgery
Self-reported functional impairments	Self-reported functional impairments will be assessed using the International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC)	In the 12th and 25th weeks post-surgery.
Performance in jump tests	Measured through the Single and Triple Hop Tests	In the 12th and 25th weeks post-surgery
Psychological readiness to return to sport	Assessed by Return to Sport after Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Surgery (RSI-ACL)	In the 12th and 25th weeks post-surgery.

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Federal University of Health Science of Porto Alegre

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): March 1, 2025
• Primary Completion (Estimated): September 1, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): December 1, 2026

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: April 3, 2024
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 31, 2025
• First Posted (Actual): April 1, 2025

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): April 24, 2025
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 22, 2025
• Last Verified: April 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Knee; Physiotherapy; Anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction; Eccentric; Quadriceps; Eccentric Exercise
• Other Study ID Numbers: 77855224.0.0000.5345

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No
• product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.: No