REHABILITATION-INDUCED FUNCTIONAL RECONSTITUTION IN INDIVIDUALS UNDERGOING ANTERIOR CRUCIATE LIGAMENT RECONSTRUCTIVE INTERVENTIONS
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.53555/krrpcq74Keywords:
Anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction, physiotherapy rehabilitation, functional recovery, neuromuscular performance, sports medicineAbstract
Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) ruptures constitute one of the most debilitating musculoskeletal pathologies affecting athletes and physically active populations. Although anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) re-establishes mechanical knee stability, the trajectory of optimal postoperative recovery is profoundly dependent on structured physiotherapeutic intervention. Targeted rehabilitative modalities including progressive strength training, proprioceptive recalibration, neuromuscular re-education, and mobility restoration have been increasingly recognized as pivotal determinants of postoperative functional reintegration. A prospective cohort design was employed involving adults undergoing primary ACLR who subsequently initiated a standardized postoperative physiotherapy regimen. Functional evaluations were conducted at baseline, 6 weeks, and 12 weeks using validated outcome metrics: International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) scores, Lysholm scores, single-leg hop limb symmetry indices, joint range of motion, quadriceps and hamstring strength profiles, and postural sway assessments. Across the 12-week period, participants demonstrated consistent and significant advances in functional indices, indicative of enhanced knee stability and attenuation of symptomatic limitations. Progressive restoration of quadriceps and hamstring strength paralleled improvements in joint mobility and mitigation of extension deficits. Neuromuscular function showed continual refinement, reflected through superior hop-test symmetry and diminished balance perturbations. Findings suggest that a criterion-based, systematically structured physiotherapy program substantially accelerates functional, neuromuscular, and mobility-related recovery following ACLR, facilitating safer readiness for return-to-activity benchmarks. Future investigations should encompass broader patient cohorts and diverse rehabilitation paradigms to refine evidence-based protocols and optimize clinical decision-making.
References
1. Alshewaier, S., Yeowell, G., & Fatoye, F. (2017). The effectiveness of pre-operative exercise physiotherapy rehabilitation on the outcomes of treatment following anterior cruciate ligament injury: a systematic review. Clinical rehabilitation, 31(1), 34-44.
2. Andrade, R., Pereira, R., van Cingel, R., Staal, J. B., & Espregueira-Mendes, J. (2020). How should clinicians rehabilitate patients after ACL reconstruction? A systematic review of clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) with a focus on quality appraisal (AGREE II). British journal of sports medicine, 54(9), 512-519.
3. Arundale, A. J., Capin, J. J., Zarzycki, R., Smith, A., & Snyder-Mackler, L. (2018). Functional and patient-reported outcomes improve over the course of rehabilitation: a secondary analysis of the ACL-SPORTS trial. Sports health, 10(5), 441-452.
4. Bandholm, T., Wainwright, T. W., & Kehlet, H. (2018). Rehabilitation strategies for optimisation of functional recovery after major joint replacement. Journal of experimental orthopaedics, 5(1), 44.
5. Blasco, J. M., Acosta-Ballester, Y., Martínez-Garrido, I., García-Molina, P., Igual-Camacho, C., & Roig-Casasús, S. (2020). The effects of preoperative balance training on balance and functional outcome after total knee replacement: a randomized controlled trial. Clinical rehabilitation, 34(2), 182-193.
6. Büchler, L., Regli, D., Evangelopoulos, D. S., Bieri, K., Ahmad, S. S., Krismer, A., ... & Kohl, S. (2016). Functional recovery following primary ACL repair with dynamic intraligamentary stabilization. The Knee, 23(3), 549-553.
7. Buckthorpe, M., Danelon, F., La Rosa, G., Nanni, G., Stride, M., & Della Villa, F. (2021). Recommendations for hamstring function recovery after ACL reconstruction. Sports Medicine, 51(4), 607-624.
8. Calatayud, J., Casaña, J., Ezzatvar, Y., Jakobsen, M. D., Sundstrup, E., & Andersen, L. L. (2017). High-intensity preoperative training improves physical and functional recovery in the early post-operative periods after total knee arthroplasty: a randomized controlled trial. Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy, 25(9), 2864-2872.
9. Chmielewski, T. L., George, S. Z., Tillman, S. M., Moser, M. W., Lentz, T. A., Indelicato, P. A., ... & Leeuwenburgh, C. (2016). Low-versus high-intensity plyometric exercise during rehabilitation after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. The American journal of sports medicine, 44(3), 609-617.
10. Coronado, R. A., Bird, M. L., Van Hoy, E. E., Huston, L. J., Spindler, K. P., & Archer, K. R. (2018). Do psychosocial interventions improve rehabilitation outcomes after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction? A systematic review. Clinical rehabilitation, 32(3), 287-298.
11. Czamara, A., Krzemińska, K., Widuchowski, W., & Dragan, S. L. (2021). The muscle strength of the knee joint after ACL reconstruction depends on the number and frequency of supervised physiotherapy visits. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(20), 10588.
12. Domínguez‐Navarro, F., Silvestre‐Muñoz, A., Igual‐Camacho, C., Díaz‐Díaz, B., Torrella, J. V., Rodrigo, J., ... & Blasco, J. M. (2021). A randomized controlled trial assessing the effects of preoperative strengthening plus balance training on balance and functional outcome up to 1 year following total knee replacement. Knee surgery, sports traumatology, arthroscopy, 29(3), 838-848.
13. Eckenrode, B. J., Carey, J. L., Sennett, B. J., & Zgonis, M. H. (2017). Prevention and management of post-operative complications following ACL reconstruction. Current reviews in musculoskeletal medicine, 10(3), 315-321.
14. Falvey, J. R., Bade, M. J., Forster, J. E., Burke, R. E., Jennings, J. M., Nuccio, E., & Stevens-Lapsley, J. E. (2018). Home-health-care physical therapy improves early functional recovery of Medicare beneficiaries after total knee arthroplasty. JBJS, 100(20), 1728-1734.
15. Glattke, K. E., Tummala, S. V., & Chhabra, A. (2022). Anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction recovery and rehabilitation: a systematic review. JBJS, 104(8), 739-754.
16. Harput, G., Ulusoy, B., Yildiz, T. I., Demirci, S., Eraslan, L., Turhan, E., & Tunay, V. B. (2019). Cross-education improves quadriceps strength recovery after ACL reconstruction: a randomized controlled trial. Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy, 27(1), 68-75.
17. Jenkins, S. M., Guzman, A., Gardner, B. B., Bryant, S. A., Del Sol, S. R., McGahan, P., & Chen, J. (2022). Rehabilitation after anterior cruciate ligament injury: review of current literature and recommendations. Current reviews in musculoskeletal medicine, 15(3), 170-179.
18. Kochman, M., Kasprzak, M., & Kielar, A. (2022). ACL reconstruction: Which additional physiotherapy interventions improve early-stage rehabilitation? A systematic review. International journal of environmental research and public health, 19(23), 15893.
19. Nelson, C., Rajan, L., Day, J., Hinton, R., & Bodendorfer, B. M. (2021). Postoperative rehabilitation of anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: a systematic review. Sports Medicine and Arthroscopy Review, 29(2), 63-80.
20. Nyland, J., Mattocks, A., Kibbe, S., Kalloub, A., Greene, J. W., & Caborn, D. N. (2016). Anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction, rehabilitation, and return to play: 2015 update. Open access journal of sports medicine, 21-32.
21. Oktas, B., & Vergili, O. (2018). The effect of intensive exercise program and kinesiotaping following total knee arthroplasty on functional recovery of patients. Journal of orthopaedic surgery and research, 13(1), 233.
22. Risaldar, P., Raut, A., Bawiskar, D., & Naqvi, W. M. (2020). Impact of Physiotherapy rehabilitation program on postoperative ACL tear patient on prognosis leading to maintain consistency in sport. Int J Res Pharm Sci, 11(3), 4821-5.
23. Su, W., Zhou, Y., Qiu, H., & Wu, H. (2022). The effects of preoperative rehabilitation on pain and functional outcome after total knee arthroplasty: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Journal of orthopaedic surgery and research, 17(1), 175.
24. Van Melick, N., van Cingel, R. E., Brooijmans, F., Neeter, C., van Tienen, T., Hullegie, W., & Nijhuis-van der Sanden, M. W. (2016). Evidence-based clinical practice update: practice guidelines for anterior cruciate ligament rehabilitation based on a systematic review and multidisciplinary consensus. British journal of sports medicine, 50(24), 1506-1515.
25. Wilk, K. E., & Arrigo, C. A. (2017). Rehabilitation principles of the anterior cruciate ligament reconstructed knee: twelve steps for successful progression and return to play. Clinics in sports medicine, 36(1), 189-232.






Licensed under CC BY 4.0 International.