Recovery of Quadriceps Strength and Knee Function Using Adjuvant EMG-BF After Primary ACL Reconstruction

Immobility and limited usage of operated limbs lead to weakness and atrophy of the muscle after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. However, training programs for preventing biomechanical risk factors such as lower limb alignment and increased muscular contraction are very limited. Thus, the current study was carried out to evaluate the recovery of quadriceps muscle strength and the improvement of knee function using adjuvant electromyographic biofeedback (EMG-BF) after ACL reconstruction.

This prospective randomized controlled trial was conducted among 40 patients (20 = EMG-BF group, 20 = Control group) with ACL reconstruction, who were referred to Akhtar Hospital from 2021 to 2022. In the EMG-BF group, EMG BFB was added to the standard rehabilitation protocol, and in the control group, the standard rehabilitation protocol with full postoperative weight-bearing, knee brace (zero degree of extension, 90 degrees of flexion), and electrical stimulation with maximal voluntary isometric knee extension was performed. Each group was intervened for 4 weeks and three sessions of 30 minutes per week. It should be noted that each patient participated in 16 outpatient physiotherapy sessions after surgery. Nicholas Hand-Held Dynamometer (HHD) was used for measuring quadriceps strength, and Knee Outcome Survey-Activities of Daily Living (KOS-ADLs) and Knee Outcome Survey Sports Activities Scale (KOS-SAS) questionnaires were used for assessing the knee function.

Four weeks after the treatment, the EMG-BF group showed a significant increase in quadriceps strength (P = 0.0001). Quadriceps strength had a significant difference before and after 4 weeks of intervention (P = 0.0001), but in the control group, no significant difference was observed (P = 0.368). The EMG-BF group had a significant increase in KOS-ADLs and KOS-SAS scores after 4 weeks of intervention (P = 0.0001).

In our study, isometric strengthening of quadriceps with adjuvant EMG-BF significantly increased the strength of quadriceps and knee function during 4 weeks. EMG-BF is a low risk, low cost, and less invasive intervention and has high safety and adjustment ability. It is a valuable adjuvant method for achieving better functional recovery in a shorter time.