Assessment of proprioception and knee muscles strength after rehabilitation of anterior cruciate ligament in comparison with healthy matches

Decrease in knee proprioception and muscles strength are outcomes of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture that sustained with patients post-surgery. The aim of this study was to compare the knee joint positioning sensation and muscle strength in patients with completed sport rehabilitation program and returned to exercise with their healthy matches. Twenty-five male basketball players (11 participants with autograft reconstruction hamstring or surgery and 14 healthy participants) participated in this study. Flexor and extensor peak torque of the knee at the angular velocities of 60 and 180 deg.s-1 and proprioception at 45̊ were evaluated in both dominant and nondominant legs by isokinetic dynamometry. Data were analyzed by F test and independent samples t-test. The results of this study showed that there is no differences in flexion and extension peak torque at 60 deg.s-1 angular velocity (p=0.483), peak extension moment at 180 deg.s-1 in dominant and nondominant (p=0.371, p=0.890) and joint positioning sensation between dominant and nondominant legs (p=0.896) in groups. However, extension peak torque in the injured group was lower than healthy group in both dominant (p=0.034) and nondominant legs (p=0.043). According to the results of this study, it can be concluded that after successive completion of rehabilitation program, surgery-induced outcomes could be improved, and it can reduce re-injury risk in athletes.