Article ID Journal Published Year Pages File Type
4045445 Arthroscopy: The Journal of Arthroscopic & Related Surgery 2009 8 Pages PDF
Abstract

PurposeThe purpose of our study was to investigate the functional outcome after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction using bone–patellar tendon–bone (BPTB) and quadrupled semitendinosus and gracilis tendon (ST/G) autografts by evaluating stride-to-stride variability.MethodsSix patients with BPTB and 6 patients with STG ACL reconstruction, 2 years postoperatively, and 6 healthy control subjects walked on a treadmill at a self-selected pace while 2 minutes of continuous kinematic data were recorded with a 6-camera optoelectronic system. Stride-to-stride variability was calculated from the knee flexion/extension data using the nonlinear measure of approximate entropy, which estimates the regularity of movement patterns over time.ResultsACL reconstruction affects stride-to-stride variability. Both the BPTB and the ST/G groups had significantly larger approximate entropy values than the healthy controls. No differences were found between the BPTB and the ST/G approximate entropy values.ConclusionsAfter ACL reconstruction using either BPTB or quadrupled ST/G, there is increased gait variability as compared to healthy individuals. This could be caused by the altered neuromuscular activity found in ACL-reconstructed limbs.Level of EvidenceLevel III, case control study.

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