Assessment of Recovery Following Surgery for ACL Rupture
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Biomechanical Assessment of Recovery Following Surgery for Anterior Cruciate Ligament Rupture
IRAS ID
263891
Contact name
William T Wilson
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Strathclyde
Duration of Study in the UK
10 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is the most commonly injured knee ligament and rupture often occurs in young, active individuals, causing pain and instability. Deficiency of an ACL may cause recurrent episodes of unpredictable knee motion during sport or even routine daily activity. Longer term, ACL injuries are linked to the development of early onset post-traumatic osteoarthritis. Surgical intervention strives to restore normal knee biomechanics, to improve function and prevent long term sequelae.
ACL reconstruction (ACLR) is the gold standard surgical treatment, where autograft, usually hamstring tendons are harvested and inserted in place of the torn ACL.
This technique is largely effective in preventing gross instability of the knee, and permits return to sporting activity and manual work in the majority of cases. However, many athletes never regain the same level of sporting performance as pre-injury, and re-rupture occurs in around 15% of patients. Satisfaction rates following surgery can be unpredictable and are thought to be lower among females, although the reasons for this are not fully understood. Longer term, despite the ACLR, patients are more likely to develop early osteoarthritis, possibly due to residual biomechanical abnormalities.
The aim of this research is to investigate the recovery following ACL surgery, in order to assess the functional consequence on the injured leg. We will evaluate the biomechanical and clinical outcomes at regular intervals post-operatively including proprioceptive testing, 3-D gait analysis, functional recovery and complication rates.REC name
HSC REC B
REC reference
19/NI/0133
Date of REC Opinion
21 Jun 2019
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion