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Higher hamstring-to-quadriceps isokinetic strength ratio during the first post-operative months in patients with quadriceps tendon compared to hamstring tendon graft following ACL reconstruction

  • Knee
  • Published:
Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy Aims and scope

Abstract

Purpose

The aim of this study was to compare isokinetic quadriceps and hamstring muscle strength in patients following anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction who received either hamstring (HT) or quadriceps (QT) tendon autografts at two time intervals within the first year after surgery.

Methods

One hundred twenty-four patients, 81 males (age 22.0 ± 6.2 years) and 43 females (age 20.9 ± 8.7 years), participated in this study. ACL reconstruction was performed with either quadriceps tendon autografts (QT; n = 61) or hamstring tendon autografts (HT; n = 63). Two isokinetic muscle strength tests (t1: 5.5 ± 1.2 months; t2: 7.6 ± 1.6 months) were performed at an angular velocity of 60°/s in both the injured and contralateral knees. An independent t test as well as a two-factor analysis of variance with repeated measurements was used. The significance level was set at p < 0.05.

Results

A statistically significant lower knee extensor strength was observed in the QT group within one year after surgery (p < 0.001). Additionally, data showed a significant higher H/Q ratio in QT patients compared to the HT group at t1 (p < 0.001) and t2 (p = 0.001) as well as a significant effect over time (p < 0.001) and interaction effect of time and graft (p = 0.007). Side-to-side values for extensor muscle strength were significantly (p < 0.001) greater in HT graft patients, while QT patients showed significantly (p < 0.001) greater values for flexor muscle strength at both time points of isokinetic testing, respectively.

Conclusion

The results of this study indicate that graft choice has an impact on extensor strength in the first months after ACL reconstruction; however, there is no impact on flexor strength. The finding of a higher H/Q ratio in patients with QT grafts within the first months following surgery is possibly of clinical relevance. This may potentially be associated with lower stress on the maturing ACL graft. Furthermore, normal thigh strength can be restored over time.

Level of evidence

III.

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Acknowledgements

The study group would like to thank all of the study participants for their efforts. Thanks to Helmut Pointner for performing the isokinetic testing.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Research Unit for Orthopedic Sports Medicine and Injury Prevention, ISAG/UMIT, Eduard-Wallnöfer-Zentrum 1, 6060, Hall in Tirol, Austria

    Felix Fischer, Christian Fink & Caroline Hepperger

  2. Gelenkpunkt – Sports and Joint Surgery, Olympiastraße 39, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria

    Christian Fink, Christian Hoser, Caroline Hepperger & Peter Gföller

  3. Department of Orthopaedic Sports Medicine, Klinikum rechts der Isar, TU Munich, Ismaninger Str. 22, 81675, Munich, Germany

    Elmar Herbst

  4. Institute of Sports Medicine, Alpine Medicine and Health Tourism (ISAG), UMIT, Eduard-Wallnöfer-Zentrum 1, 6060, Hall in Tirol, Austria

    Cornelia Blank

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  1. Felix Fischer
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Correspondence to Christian Fink.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest related to this study.

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All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

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Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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Fischer, F., Fink, C., Herbst, E. et al. Higher hamstring-to-quadriceps isokinetic strength ratio during the first post-operative months in patients with quadriceps tendon compared to hamstring tendon graft following ACL reconstruction. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc 26, 418–425 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00167-017-4522-x

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