Effect of Contralateral NMES on Quadriceps Activation After ACL Injury or Surgery
For patients and families
In plain language
An automatic summary of structured registry data. It is an orientation aid, not a substitute for the official protocol or a physician assessment.
- What is being studied
- The protocol lists: Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation.
- Who it may be relevant to
- Registry conditions: ACL Injury. Basic parameters: 18 years — 50 years · All.
- What needs checking
- Age, condition and sex are only basic indicators. Prior treatment, laboratory values and other mandatory requirements appear in the eligibility criteria below.
- Where it takes place
- Center list to be confirmed — check the primary protocol.
- Next step
- Save the trial, show it to the treating physician, and confirm current recruitment with the study center. Costs, documents and travel →
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Official title
Does NMES Applied to the Contralateral Uninjured Side Facilitate Voluntary Quadriceps Activation Before and After ACL Surgery?
Overview
A major complication after cruciate ligament injury and surgery is arthrogenic muscle inhibition of the quadriceps, which is characterised by a deficit in voluntary muscle activation in the affected leg. This can hinder rehabilitation processes, lead to impaired knee function, and negatively impact the patients' quality of life. The primary objective of this study is to assess whether voluntary quadriceps activation on the injured side is facilitated by the concomitant application of neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) on the contralateral quadriceps.
Detailed description
The primary objective of this study is to assess whether injured-side voluntary quadriceps activation before and after ACL surgery is facilitated by the concomitant application of NMES on the contralateral quadriceps (uninjured side), in comparison to a control (CTRL) condition that does not involve any contralateral activity (passive rest) and to a voluntary (VOL) condition that involves a maximal voluntary contraction of the contralateral quadriceps.
Interventions
- Device Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation
Studies in healthy individuals have demonstrated that NMES applied to the quadriceps of one limb induces short-term increases in strength and neural drive in the contralateral homologous muscle. Since these effects have only been observed in healthy individuals, it is essential to investigate whether similar responses occur in ACL patients.
Primary outcome measures
- EMG activity [Time frame: Data will be collected at two time points: after ACL injury (within two weeks prior to surgery) and following ACL reconstruction (within three days post-surgery).]
Eligibility criteria
Inclusion criteria
- Patients undergoing ACL surgery with semitendinosus tendon autograft in the Schulthess Clinic
- Unilateral and primary ACL injury (with/without diagnoses of additional meniscus injury)
Exclusion criteria
- Previous surgery/ligament rupture in injured or uninjured knee or hip
- Severe pain in the uninjured-side quadriceps or knee joint
- Ongoing pregnancy
- BMI >30 kg/m²
- Neuromuscular disease
- Open wounds or tissue injuries on the anterior aspect of the thigh
- Additional rupture of other knee ligaments (posterior cruciate ligament, medial collateral ligament, lateral collateral ligament)
- Implanted metallic/electronic devices (cardiac pacemakers, defibrillators)
- Patients getting a femoralis block (peripheral nerve block) after surgery will be excluded for the post-surgical appointment
- Insufficient language comprehension
Criteria are shown verbatim from the registry (in English). Final eligibility is always assessed by the study center.
Healthy volunteers: No
Study design
- Allocation
- N/A
- Model
- Single group
- Masking
- Open label
- Primary purpose
- Other
Study locations
Center list to be confirmed — check the primary protocol.
Identifiers
NCT: NCT07156734 · 2025-00224