NCT05968729

Assessment of Gait Adaptation Due to an Asymmetric Walking Protocol

• Status: Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 40 (estimated)
• Sponsor: University of Connecticut · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 30 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

The purpose of this work is to conduct a comparative research-focused study to evaluate the effectiveness of how purposefully induced asymmetric walking protocols restore healthy, symmetric limb loading in individuals following post-anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) surgery. Additionally, computational modeling and machine learning to model knee loading in the clinic to determine the optimal asymmetric walking protocol to restore healthy gait in post-ACLR individuals.

Detailed description

This is an intervention study in which participants will be randomized as to the order in which each of the two sessions are completed. Forty post-ACLR will who present with between-limb gait differences will perform two asymmetric walking sessions where they will walk with between-limb gait speed differences of 0.25 m/s and 0.50 m/s at three 15-minute intervals to evaluate the restoration of healthy gait. Post-ACLR participants will perform an asymmetric walking intervention protocol session on two different days. On one day they will perform the protocol with a 0.25 m/s between-limb difference and on a separate day they will perform the protocol with a 0.50 m/s between limb difference. For the 0.25 m/s condition, one limb will be set to 1.0 m/s and the other 1.25 m/s (i.e., 1.0 m/s - 1.25 m/s). Similarly, for the 0.50 m/s condition, one limb will be set to 1.0 m/s and the other 1.50 m/s (i.e., 1.0 m/s - 1.50 m/s). Each participant will perform both the 0.25 m/s and 0.50 m/s protocols on separate days, and we will randomize who performs which protocol first or second. At least 3 weeks must pass between the two one-day sessions. Patient-specific simulations will be generated in OpenSim for each of the 40 post-ACLR individuals to assess differences in knee joint loading. Together with machine learning, these models will help evaluate the effectiveness of the asymmetric walking protocol in reducing detrimental knee loading. The study team hypothesizes that the 0.50 m/s perturbation will produce a larger reduction in between-limb asymmetry than the 0.25 m/s perturbation and reduce detrimental knee loading.

Conditions

• Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
OTHER	Active Comparator: 0.25 m/s asymmetric session first	Participants will first perform an asymmetric walking trial where the between-limb gait speed difference is 0.25 m/s on day one. On the second day, participants will perform an asymmetric walking trial where the between-limb gait speed difference is 0.50 m/s.
OTHER	Active Comparator: 0.50 m/s asymmetric session first	Participants will first perform an asymmetric walking trial where the between-limb gait speed difference is 0.50 m/s on day one. On the second day, participants will perform an asymmetric walking trial where the between-limb gait speed difference is 0.25 m/s.

Timeline

• Start date: 2022-09-01
• Primary completion: 2027-07-31
• Completion: 2027-07-31
• First posted: 2023-08-01
• Last updated: 2025-08-27

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States