<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<italic>Study aim</italic>: The functional assessment of patients after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) is one of the key points in deciding whether one can safely return to physical activity. The aim of this study is to investigate the usefulness of the NEURAC® tests and single leg balance test (SLBT) in the functional evaluation of adolescent patients after ACLR to detect differences between the operated and non-operated extremity.
<italic>Material and methods</italic>: A total of 31 physically active, adolescent patients (mean age: 15.7 ± 1.4 years) who underwent primary single-bundle ACLR using the autogenous semitendinosus-gracilis tendon graft were evaluated using the NEURAC® and SLBT tests (mean time from surgery to examination was 6.6 ± 1.0 months). All patients were operated on by the same surgeon, and postoperative physiotherapy was carried out using a standardized protocol.
<italic>Results</italic>: Only one of the NEURAC® tests showed significant differences between the operated and non-operated extremities: prone bridging (3.58º vs. 3.97º, <italic>P</italic> = 0.01). Several weak and moderate, significant correlations between NEURAC® and SLBT tests were observed in the operated (r from –0.42 to 0.37) and non-operated (r from –0.37 to –0.43) extremities
<italic>Conclusions</italic>: The NEURAC® tests in comparison to SLBT seems to be more effective for detecting functional differences between the operated and non-operated extremity in adolescent patients about 6 months post-ACLR. Correlations between the outcomes of the NEURAC® tests and SLBT are not clear.
</abstract>

Study aim: The functional assessment of patients after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) is one of the key points in deciding whether one can safely return to physical activity. The aim of this study is to investigate the usefulness of the NEURAC® tests and single leg balance test (SLBT) in the functional evaluation of adolescent patients after ACLR to detect differences between the operated and non-operated extremity.
Material and methods: A total of 31 physically active, adolescent patients (mean age: 15.7 ± 1.4 years) who underwent primary single-bundle ACLR using the autogenous semitendinosus-gracilis tendon graft were evaluated using the NEURAC® and SLBT tests (mean time from surgery to examination was 6.6 ± 1.0 months). All patients were operated on by the same surgeon, and postoperative physiotherapy was carried out using a standardized protocol.
Results: Only one of the NEURAC® tests showed significant differences between the operated and non-operated extremities: prone bridging (3.58º vs. 3.97º, P = 0.01). Several weak and moderate, significant correlations between NEURAC® and SLBT tests were observed in the operated (r from –0.42 to 0.37) and non-operated (r from –0.37 to –0.43) extremities
Conclusions: The NEURAC® tests in comparison to SLBT seems to be more effective for detecting functional differences between the operated and non-operated extremity in adolescent patients about 6 months post-ACLR. Correlations between the outcomes of the NEURAC® tests and SLBT are not clear.

Myofascial and balance tests after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction in adolescent patients

Institute of Physiotherapy and Health Sciences, Motion Analysis Laboratory

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Sport-Klinika, Scanmed Sport

Biomedical Human Kinetics

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Study aim: The functional assessment of patients after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) is one of the key points in deciding whether one can...

Myofascial and balance tests after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction in adolescent patients

Published Online: Jul 22, 2023

Page range: 172 - 180

Received: Oct 25, 2022

Accepted: May 15, 2023

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/bhk-2023-0020

Keywords
Anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction, Returning to sport, Physical functional performance, NEURAC® myofascial tests, Biodex Balance System

© 2023 Grzegorz Szlachta et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Myofascial and balance tests after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction in adolescent patients

Published Online: Jul 22, 2023

Page range: 172 - 180

Received: Oct 25, 2022

Accepted: May 15, 2023

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/bhk-2023-0020

KeywordsAnterior cruciate ligament reconstruction, Returning to sport, Physical functional performance, NEURAC® myofascial tests, Biodex Balance System

© 2023 Grzegorz Szlachta et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Keywords
Anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction, Returning to sport, Physical functional performance, NEURAC® myofascial tests, Biodex Balance System