Prevention of Secondary Injury after Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction: Relationship between Pelvic-Drop and Dynamic Knee Valgus

Rosario D’Onofrio, Anas Radi Alashram, Giuseppe Annino, Matteo Masucci, Cristian Romagnoli, Elvira Padua () and Vincenzo Manzi
Additional contact information
Rosario D’Onofrio: Member of the Medical-Scientific Multidisciplinary Commission, Italian Football Doctors Association-L.A.M.I.CA., 04023 Formia, Italy
Anas Radi Alashram: Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Allied Medical Science, Middle East University, Amman 11622, Jordan
Giuseppe Annino: Centre of Space Bio-Medicine, Department of Medicine Systems, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, 00133 Rome, Italy
Matteo Masucci: Department of Kinesiology and Health Sciences, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada
Cristian Romagnoli: Sport Engineering Lab, Department Industrial Engineering, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, 00133 Rome, Italy
Elvira Padua: Department of Human Sciences and Promotion of the Quality of Life, San Raffaele Roma Open University, 00166 Rome, Italy
Vincenzo Manzi: Department of Humanities Science, Pegaso Open University, 80143 Naples, Italy

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 4, 1-10

Abstract: (1) Background: Optimal neuromuscular, Lumbo-Pelvic-Hip Complex, and lower extremity control are associated with decreased risk factors for secondary anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury. This study aimed to analyze any asymmetries and malalignments in the Lumbo-Pelvic-Hip Complex and the lower limbs at 6 months after ACL reconstruction (ACLR). (2) Methods: We conducted an exploratory retrospective observational single-center study in patients during the outpatient postoperative rehabilitation program at ICOT (Latina, Italy). From January 2014 to June 2020, 181 patients were recruited, but only 100 patients (86 male 28 ± 0.6 years, 178 ± 0.5 height; 14 female 24 ± 2.0 years, 178 ± 3.0 height) were eligible for the inclusion criteria and studied 6 months after ACL reconstruction surgery. (3) Statistical analysis: Student’s t -tests and Pearson’s product-moment correlation coefficient were used to determine significant differences between affected and non-affected limbs and variables’ association. (4) Results: The study shows a decrease in neuromuscular control of the Lumbo-Pelvic-Hip Complex and dynamic adaptive valgus of the knee at 6 months after ACLR (mean difference between pathological and healthy limb of dynamic adaptive valgus was −10.11 ± 8.19° 95% CI −14.84 to −9.34; mean value was 16.3 ± 6.8° 95% CI 14.04 to 18.55 for healthy limb and 4.2 ± 3.1° 95% CI 3.15 to 5.21 for pathological limb, p < 0.0001). The results also showed a relationship between dynamic adaptive valgus and contralateral pelvic drop (r = 0.78, 95% CI 0.62 to 0.88, magnitude of correlation very large). (5) Conclusions: The analysis showed an associative correlation between decreased postural control of the pelvic girdle and dynamic adaptive valgus of the knee in 38% of patients; this study highlights the usefulness of the Single-Leg Squat Test (SLST) as a clinical/functional assessment to evaluate the rehabilitation process and as a preventive tool to reduce the risk of second ACL injuries during the return to sport.

Keywords: anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction; anterior cruciate ligament injuries; return to sport; knee joint; pelvis (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/4/3063/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/4/3063/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2023:i:4:p:3063-:d:1063360

Access Statistics for this article

IJERPH is currently edited by Ms. Jenna Liu

More articles in IJERPH from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().