[Studying the effect of perturbation training on gait kinematics of patients with anterior cruciate ligament injury]

ABSTRACT

Anterior cruciate ligament [ACL] damage is the most common injury of knee. It can change gait kinematics. Neuromuscular training and perturbation treatment programs are supposed to be effective in modifying gait kinematics of patients with ACL damage. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of modified perturbation training protocol on gait kinematics in ACL deficient patients. Ten professional male athletes, between 18 and 45 years, with at least 6 and at most 24 months history of unilateral ACL rupture were enrolled in the study. Kinematics data of hip, knee and ankle joints were recorded using electrogoniameter device during walking before and after ten sessions of perturbation training. IKDC Subjective and Lysholm questionnaires scores were analyzed before and after training. IKDC Subjective and Lysholm questionnaires scores significantly improved after treatment [P=0.005]. Hip range of motion [P=0.02], peak flexion of hip [P=0.02], hip angle at stance phase [P=0.02] and peak dorsiflexion of ankle [P=0.03] were significantly increased after training. Perturbation training probably affects neuromuscular control and modifies feed-forward control, thus it can improve compensatory patterns of ACL deficient patients during gait. ACL deficient patients may adapt their problem with further use of hip joint and increasing hip flexion