Effect of proprioceptive training on knee mobility among athletes with anterior cruciate ligament injury with or without reconstruction

Abstract

Background: Anterior cruciate ligament serves as the primary restraint to anterior translation of the tibia relative to the femur and also resists excessive internal rotation and valgus stress. Injuries to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) are among the most common and functionally disabling injuries in athletes, particularly those engaged in high-impact or pivoting sports such as football, basketball, and handball. Anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) is often performed to restore knee stability and allow return to sport, but postoperative rehabilitation plays a critical role in determining the functional outcome and reducing the risk of re-injury. Aims and Objectives: To evaluate the effects of proprioceptive training and resistive training to improve knee mobility among athletes having anterior cruciate ligament injury or reconstruction. Methodology: Thirty athletes with anterior cruciate ligament injury or reconstruction were randomly divided into two groups: Group A and Group B. Group A treated with proprioceptive training and Group B given resistive training. Pre-test evaluation was done on commencement of the study and post-test evaluation was done after 12 weeks of intervention period. Knee goniometry was used as a outcomes measure to assess the knee flexion range of motion. Paired t-test was used to analyze the difference within group and unpaired t-test was used to analyze the data between both groups. Results: The mean improvement in knee flexion range of motion was in group A and in group B. Both groups showed significant improvements in knee flexion range of motion post-test (p