Effects of Low Frequency Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation Applied to the Quadriceps in the Production of Knee Extension Strength and Control of Edema After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction

Brief Summary

Detailed Description

Participants Twenty-two patients that submitted to ACL surgical reconstruction with flexor grafts less than 15 days previously will be included in the study, both genders, between 18-45 years old. Individuals with previous knee lesions, other ligament injuries, osteochondritis or associated menisci repair and complications during surgery will not be included in the study. Patients that carried out complimentary therapies to the proposed treatment will be excluded. The participants will be randomized into two groups: control and electrical stimulation group . Intervention All the subjects will be submitted to physiotherapy sessions three times a week, following a 12 weeks criterion based reahabilitation, carried out in line with the objectives proposed for each rehabilitation phase (immediate post-operative, early post-operativeand late post-operative). A group of trained physiotherapists will design the exercises and determinate their evolution, including range of motion improvement, muscular control and strength, gait training with progression in weight bearing and sensory-motor control training, according to the established guidelines. The patients from the electrical stimulation group will receive, in addition, NMES application in the first six weeks of treatment, using an electrical stimulator with a carrier frequency of 47 Hz with symmetrical, biphasic and pyramidal waves, with pulse duration of 150 µs and duty cycle of 1,5 sec on and 1,8 sec off. Evaluation It will be evaluated the pre intervention quadriceps muscle extension force by means of a manual dynamometer, and the joint swelling through the perimeter. This procedure will be repeated after six weeks of intervention.

Primary Outcomes

Not specified