Coordination and stability of one-legged hopping patterns in patients with anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: preliminary results.

Abstract

To investigate whether the intralimb coordination of the lower extremity during one-legged hopping in patients with anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction is different and less stable compared to control subjects. Measures of coordination dynamics are applied to study the coordination and stability of movement patterns of the knee and ankle in patients and control subjects. Due to several factors, such as loss of proprioceptive function and muscle weakness, the intralimb coordination of the lower extremity might be altered. Seven patients and 13 healthy control subjects were instructed to hop in place on one leg for 10 seconds at a comfortable frequency for each leg separately. The one-legged hopping movement pattern of patients with anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction one-year post-operative is different and less stable compared to healthy subjects, and thus is still impaired. This paper shows that patients, one year after reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament, have a different coordination pattern of the lower limb compared to a matched control group. Intersegmental coordination and stability, features that are often observed by eye during a rehabilitation process, are objectified in this study.