Michigan Split-belt Treadmill Training to Improve Knee Loading After ACL Reconstruction A Pilot Randomized Clinical Trial Evaluating Early and Midstance Training

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are evaluating a 6-week split-belt treadmill training program to improve knee loading after anterior cruciate ligament ACL reconstruction. The study aims to understand whether knee loading, measured by the sagittal plane knee moment, changes more in subjects undergoing split-belt training compared to a placebo group. It also compares knee loading adaptations between early stance and midstance split-belt training methods. This pilot randomized clinical trial will collect data from 9 participants to inform future larger studies. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of three groups early stance split-belt training, mid-stance split-belt training, or placebo split-belt training. Each training program involves walking on a split-belt treadmill twice a week for 20 minutes over six weeks. In the early stance group, the ACL leg walks at 150-170% of 1.1 ms, while the non-ACL leg walks at 1.1 ms. The mid-stance group walks with the ACL leg at 30-50% of 1.1 ms, and the placebo group walks with the ACL leg at a speed 10% different from 1.1 ms, with the non-ACL leg walking at 1.1 ms in all groups. Participants will be assessed at the start, mid-point 3 weeks, and end 6 weeks of training. The main measurement is the sagittal plane knee moment on the ACL leg. Additional evaluations include vertical ground reaction force, knee joint contact force, and the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score. Knee cartilage thickness in medial and lateral compartments will be measured before and after training. The study includes follow-up assessments and monitoring to understand training effects over the six-week period.

Michigan Split-belt Treadmill Training Program to Improve Long-Term Knee Biomechanics After ACL Reconstruction