Effect of water-based walking exercise on rehabilitation of patients following ACL reconstruction: a prospective, randomised, single-blind clinical trial.

Desheng Li, Qi Zhang, Xuguang Liu, Chen Chen, Jiani Lu, Dongmei Ye, Yangjun Li, Wei Wang, Mei Shen

Journal: Physiotherapy 2022;115():18-26

PMID: 35101723

Full Text on Elsevier Science View on PubMed

Abstract

OBJECTIVES

To compare water-based treadmill walking training with land-based treadmill walking training following anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction.

DESIGN

Prospective, randomised, single-blind clinical trial.

SETTING

Single-centre study.

PARTICIPANTS

Sixty patients undergoing rehabilitation following ACL reconstruction were assigned at random into two groups.

INTERVENTIONS

Patients in the water-based training group (WBG) underwent treadmill training in water, and patients in the land-based training group (LBG) underwent treadmill training on land.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Muscle strength was evaluated using the ratio of peak torque to body weight (PT/BW) before and after 3 weeks of training.

RESULTS

After 3 weeks of training, both groups had significantly higher PT/BW ratios, passive position sense (PAPS) and Lysholm scores compared with pre-treatment levels. In the affected leg, the PT/BW ratio for the knee extensor muscles, PAPS and Lysholm scores showed significantly greater improvement in the WBG than in the LBG. No significant differences in the PT/BW ratio, single leg balance index and stability limit index of the knee flexor muscles at different angular velocities were seen between the two groups.

CONCLUSION

The results suggest that water-based walking exercise could lead to greater improvements in extensor muscle strength, proprioception and knee performance compared with land-based training following ACL reconstruction.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

ChiCTR1900025930.

Address: Department of Rehabilitation, Affiliated Zhongshan Hospital of Dalian University, Dalian, People's Republic of China; Department of Rehabilitation, People's Hospital of Longhua District of Shenzhen, Shenzhen, People's Republic of China.; Department of Rehabilitation, Affiliated Zhongshan Hospital of Dalian University, Dalian, People's Republic of China.; Department of Anatomy, Medical College of Dalian University, Dalian, People's Republic of China.; Department of Rehabilitation, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.; Department of Rehabilitation, Affiliated Zhongshan Hospital of Dalian University, Dalian, People's Republic of China. Electronic address: [email protected].; Department of Rehabilitation, Affiliated Zhongshan Hospital of Dalian University, Dalian, People's Republic of China; Department of Rehabilitation, People's Hospital of Longhua District of Shenzhen, Shenzhen, People's Republic of China. Electronic address: [email protected].

DOI: 10.1016/j.physio.2021.11.003

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MeSH Terms: Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction, Humans, Prospective Studies, Single-Blind Method, Walking, Water