THREE-MONTH FUNCTIONAL TRAINING PROGRAMME IMPROVES KNEE JOINT FUNCTION IN ATHLETES POST-ACL RECONSTRUCTION SURGERY

TL;DR

A 3-month functional training program improves knee function in athletes recovering from ACL surgery, helping them return to sports faster and safer.

Contribution

This study demonstrates that combining enhanced recovery protocols with functional training significantly improves knee joint function post-ACL surgery.

Findings

Athletes in the experimental group showed significant improvements in dynamic balance, knee mobility, and stability.

The training program led to increased range of motion, muscular strength, and functional performance.

The combined approach enables safer and faster return to sports activities.

Abstract

Rehabilitation and recovery duration following anterior cruciate ligament reconstructive surgery play a pivotal role in restoring optimal knee functionality in athletes. This study aimed to explore the impact of a 3-month functional training programme aligned with enhanced recovery after surgery on recuperation subsequent to anterior cruciate ligament reconstructive surgery.

A quasi-experimental study.

A cohort of 34 patients aged 14 to 24, who underwent anterior cruciate ligament reconstructive surgery and adhered to enhanced recovery after surgery protocols during the perioperative period, were allocated to an experimental group and a control group according to their eligibility, capacity, and willingness to engage in the functional training programme.

The participants in the experimental group underwent a 3-month regimen of functional training following anterior cruciate ligament reconstructive surgery, whereas the control group followed a conventional recovery approach. Evaluations were conducted both prior to and following the 3-month recovery interval, utilizing the Y-Balance Test, Functional Movement Screening, and Isokinetic Knee Test.

Assessment outcomes of the Y-Balance Test, Isokinetic Knee Test, and Functional Movement Screening exhibited significant enhancement (p < 0.05) within the experimental group, as opposed to the control group. These findings underscore that those athletes who undertook the 3-month functional training regimen within the experimental group exhibited heightened dynamic balance capabilities, increased knee joint mobility, and enhanced stability compared with their counterparts in the control group.

Consequently, this underscores the efficacy of the 3-month functional training protocol aligned with enhanced recovery after surgery, as a means to effectively facilitate recuperation subsequent to anterior cruciate ligament reconstructive surgery.

In this study, the effects of combining an enhanced recovery after surgery programme with a 3-month functional training regimen on knee joint function in athletes who had anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction surgery were examined. The findings revealed that athletes who underwent this combined intervention experienced significant enhancements in knee joint function, such as increased range of motion, improved muscular strength, enhanced joint position awareness, and better functional performance. The integration of the enhanced recovery after surgery programme with 3-month functional training can optimize the recovery process, enabling athletes to return to sports activities in a safer and faster manner. This approach shows promise in improving the quality of life and performance outcomes for athletes during their anterior cruciate ligament reconstructive surgery recovery.

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