NCT03738436

Adding Modified Visual Feedback Training in Patients Following ACL Reconstruction

The Effects of Adding Modified Visual Feedback Training in Physical Therapy Protocol Following Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction

• Status: Unknown
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 40 (estimated)
• Sponsor: China Medical University Hospital · Academic / Other
• Sex: Male
• Age: 20 Years – 45 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

The current treatment for the ACL-injured patients usually emphasize on the movement quality through neuromuscular training. The purpose of this study is to (1) design a modified visual feedback training program and (2) investigate the effects of the modified visual feedback training on the movement control in the ACL-reconstructed (ACL-R) patients. Forty unilateral ACL-R male patients will be enrolled voluntarily, who will be randomly allocated into the traditional neuromuscular training (NMT) or the modified visual feedback (MVF) group. The investigators hypothesize that this MVF training program will have better potential to improve their post-injury movement dysfunction.

Detailed description

Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture is a common sport-related injury that needs surgical reconstruction to restore a better knee function. This ligament accommodates plenty of crucial sensory nerve endings providing proprioceptive information to central nerve system (CNS) for the knee movement control. Recent studies have found that the patients will increase utilization of the visual processing for movement control, concurrent with the depression of the proprioceptive information after the ACL injury. In addition, the loss of proprioception information will result in motor impairment when disrupting vision during more demanding physical activities, such as pivoting, accelerating, decelerating, and landing maneuver. It is obvious that this motor control deficit may increase the re-injury risk during multitasking situations common in functional movements or sports participation. The current treatment for the ACL-injured patients usually emphasize on the movement quality through neuromuscular training, but seldom adding the alteration of the sensory processing. Some patients still have been forced to lower their activity level or ended their career in sports due to the remained motor control problems after rehabilitation. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to (1) design a modified visual feedback training program and (2) investigate the effects of the modified visual feedback training on the movement control in the ACL-reconstructed (ACL-R) patients. Forty unilateral ACL-R male patients will be enrolled voluntarily from local hospitals to participate in this study. Each participant will be randomly allocated into the traditional neuromuscular training (NMT) or the modified visual feedback (MVF) group. The training program will start at the forth week after the ACL reconstruction and last for eight weeks. The hypothesis of this study is that the MVF training program will have better potential to improve their post-injury movement dysfunction and thus may decrease the re-injury risk in ever-changing environment. Therefore, it may provide assistance for the patients to build both physical and neurocognitive capabilities for returning to sport.

Conditions

• Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
OTHER	Physical therapy traditional neuromuscular training, NMT	The NMT program includes re-position exercise using Swiss ball roll squat, strengthening and stretching exercises in various positions or combined using Swiss ball, Thera-Band or suspension system (Redcord), balance exercise on wobble board, proper landing strategy practices, and etc.
OTHER	Physical therapy modified visual feedback, MVF	traditional neuromuscular training (as in NMT group), but with modified visual feedback by eyes closed, reduced lighting or wearing strobe goggles

Timeline

• Start date: 2019-08-02
• Primary completion: 2023-03-15
• Completion: 2023-07-31
• First posted: 2018-11-13
• Last updated: 2022-11-08

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Taiwan