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Six-week prehabilitation program improves knee function prior to ACL reconstruction
Researchers in this study found a 6-week prehabilitation program for patients before undergoing ACL reconstruction improved knee function and self-reported outcomes after surgery.
“There were significant improvements in postexercise measurements of the single-legged hop, Modified Cincinnati total score, quadriceps peak torque, [cross-section area] CSA, and [insulin-like growth factor 1] IGF-1 [messenger RNA] levels compared with baseline measurements,” Shahril R. Shaarani, MB, BCh, BaO, and colleagues wrote in their study. “This study supports prehabilitation for patients awaiting [ACL reconstruction]; however, further studies are required before such recommendation can be introduced into [ACL reconstruction] guidelines.”
Shaarani and colleagues assigned a 6-week home exercise and gym program or no exercise program to 20 patients who were awaiting ACL reconstruction, according to the abstract. After the program, patients in the exercise group improved significantly in the single-legged hop test. Modified Cincinnati Knee Rating System scores also improved in the exercise group over the control group. The researchers found these results persisted at 12 weeks postoperatively.
Disclosure: The authors have no relevant financial disclosures.