Low-load resistance muscular training with moderate restriction of blood flow after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction

• Published in: Acta orthopaedica 2003-02, Vol.74 (1), p.62-68
• Main Authors: Ohta, Haruyasu, Kurosawa, Hisashi, Ikeda, Hiroshi, Iwase, Yoshiyuki, Satou, Naohiro, Nakamura, Shinji
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Anterior Cruciate Ligament - surgery; Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries; Atrophy; Biological and medical sciences; Biomechanical Phenomena; Diseases of the osteoarticular system. Orthopedic treatment; Exercise Therapy; Female; Humans; Knee Injuries - pathology; Knee Injuries - physiopathology; Knee Injuries - rehabilitation; Knee Injuries - surgery; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Muscle Fibers, Skeletal - pathology; Muscle, Skeletal - physiopathology; Prospective Studies; Radiotherapy. Instrumental treatment. Physiotherapy. Reeducation. Rehabilitation, orthophony, crenotherapy. Diet therapy and various other treatments (general aspects); Regional Blood Flow
• ISSN: 1745-3674; 0001-6470; 1745-3682
• DOI: 10.1080/00016470310013680

We performed a prospective study to determine the effects of introducing low-load muscular training with moderate restriction of blood flow during the first 16 weeks after reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament. 44 subjects (average age 29 (18-52) years) were randomized into a group that trained restriction of blood flow (group R, n = 22) and a group that trained without restriction (group N, n = 22). Both groups followed the same training schedule. Evaluations of knee extensor and flexor torques before surgery and 16 weeks after it showed a significant increase in muscular strength in group R as compared to group N. The preoperative/16-week postoperative ratio of the crosssectional area of the knee extensor muscles showed a statistically significant enlargement in group R as compared to group N. 16 weeks after surgery, the short diameters of type 1 and type 2 fibers of M. vastus lateralis tended to be larger in group R (n = 8) than in group N (n = 8), although the differences were not significant. These findings show that low-load resistance muscular training during moderate restriction of blood flow is an effective exercise for early muscular training after reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament.