NCT03209531

Conditioning Brain Responses to Improve Thigh Muscle Function After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction

Operant Conditioning of Motor Evoked Responses to Improve Quadriceps Function in Individuals With Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 11 (actual)
• Sponsor: University of Michigan · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 45 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

The purpose of this study is to examine if thigh muscle weakness and the lack of muscle activation that accompanies ACL injury can be improved through a form of mental coaching and encouragement, known as operant conditioning.

Detailed description

Thigh muscle weakness is a common result after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury and reconstruction surgery. Therefore, reducing thigh muscle weakness after ACL injury and reconstructive surgery is important as the quadriceps muscles act as shock absorbers that protect the knee joint. If significant weakness is present in the quadriceps, the knee is exposed to increased forces and often results in degeneration of the structures in the joint leading to osteoarthritis. Thus, it is important to investigate activation and strength rehabilitation methods for the quadriceps muscles. This research study is being done to learn if thigh muscle weakness and the lack of muscle activation that accompanies ACL injury can be improved by conditioning brain responses (elicited by non-invasive transcranial magnetic stimulation) using a form of training called as operant conditioning.

Conditions

• Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	Operant Conditioning	Active encouragement and feedback to increase motor evoked response when stimulated.
BEHAVIORAL	Control	Absence of active encouragement and feedback to increase motor evoked response when stimulated.
DEVICE	Single Pulse Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation	Transcranial magnetic stimulation to elicit a motor evoked response from the quadriceps muscles.

Timeline

• Start date: 2017-09-21
• Primary completion: 2025-11-24
• Completion: 2025-11-24
• First posted: 2017-07-06
• Last updated: 2025-11-26

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States