Quadriceps strength changes across the continuum of care in adolescent male and female athletes with anterior cruciate ligament injury and reconstruction

Abstract

Objectives: To examine the quadriceps strength (QUADS) on the surgical (SURG) and non-surgical (Non-SURG) limbs in adolescent male and female athletes at pre-operative (PRE), 12 weeks post-operative (12WK), and return to sport (RTS) time points following ACL injury and reconstruction.

Design: Prospective cohort study design.

Setting: Clinical Research Laboratory.

Participants: 66 adolescent athletes.

Main outcome measures: Isokinetic QUADS of the SURG and Non-SURG limbs at the PRE, 12WK, and RTS time points were assessed and compared between each time point.

Results: Both male and female participants had significantly lower 12 WK QUADS in the SURG limb than the PRE QUADS, but the RTS QUADS was significantly greater than the 12WK QUAD (p < 0.05). However, only female participants had greater RTS QUADS as compared to the PRE QUADS (p < 0.001). For the Non-SURG limb, only male participants had a significant improvement over time (PRE vs RTS; p < 0.001).

Conclusion: Adolescent males and females differ in their QUADS recovery across the continuum of care following ACLR. Clinicians should consider this pattern of recovery when treating adolescent males and females.

Keywords: Adolescents; Anterior cruciate ligament; Quadriceps strength.