Determining the Effects of Non-invasive Brain Stimulation to Improve Quadriceps Muscle Function After ACL Reconstruction.
Arcadia University
Summary
After knee surgery for a torn ACL, many women struggle with weak thigh muscles for years, partly due to reduced brain signals to these muscles. Our research tests a new approach to improve recovery by using low-level brain stimulation to boost these signals. The investigators will study 42 women, aged 18-35, who had ACL surgery. They'll be split into two groups: one receiving real brain stimulation and another getting a placebo, both during thigh-strengthening exercises. Over six sessions, the investigators measure thigh muscle strength, speed, and steadiness, plus two brain signal measures, using special equipment. The investigators will also check if stronger brain signals lead to better muscle performance, especially in women. Our goal is to show that this new method strengthens thigh muscles better than standard rehab, helping women recover better after surgery. If successful, this could improve physical therapy for women recovering from ACL surgery, making daily activities and return to sport easier.
Description
Quadricep muscle impairments persist for years after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR). Recent evidence suggests that lower neural drive, (i.e., lower corticospinal excitably (CSE)), is associated with pronounced quadriceps muscle performance deficits, which are more severe in females recovering from ACLR than in males. Current postoperative rehabilitation protocols do not target lower neural drive, which can be achieved through non-invasive brain stimulation. Thus, the long-term goal of this research is to improve the effectiveness of ACLR rehabilitation. The objective of this…
Eligibility
- Age range
- 18–35 years
- Sex
- Female
- Healthy volunteers
- No
Inclusion Criteria: \- females 2-6 months after ACL reconstruction Exclusion Criteria: * multiple ligament reconstruction * osteochondral procedures * any previous lower extremity surgery * previous ACL injury * Metal or implants in the head or neck * history of neurological disease * seizures * severe migraines * concussion within the last 6 months
Interventions
- Deviceactive transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS)
20 minutes of anodal tDCS over the primary motor cortex contralateral to the participants surgical limb during a quadriceps torque matching task
- Devicesham transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS)
Participants receive sham tDCS in which the device only delivers current during the first and last 30 seconds while participants perform a quadriceps torque matching task
Location
- Ryan ZarzyckiGlenside, Pennsylvania