Health TrialsbyHealthPanel

Quadriceps Motor Unit Adaptation to Simulated Knee Injury

ConditionsMuscle InhibitionKnee Injury Simulation
Trial statusRecruiting
Trial phaseEarly Phase 1
Trial typeInterventional
Biological sexAll
Age18-30
SponsorUniversity of Central Florida

About this trial

This study investigates how simulated knee injury-via artificial joint effusion or deafferentation-affects quadriceps motor unit behavior in healthy young adults. Participants will complete neuromuscular testing during a single 2-hour lab session. This research seeks to improve understanding of muscle inhibition and inform interventions after real-world knee trauma.

Eligibility criteria

This trial accepts healthy volunteers

Qualifiers

Age 18-30 years

Physically active (Tegner ≥ 5)

No prior lower-limb surgery or major injury

Disqualifiers

Lower limb surgery or significant injury in past 2 years

Cardiopulmonary, neurological, or psychiatric disorders

Needle/electrical stimulation anxiety

Medications affecting neuromuscular or psychological function

Trial design

Design model

Parallel

Treatments tested in this trial

  • Joint Effusion via 60 mL Sterile Saline

    Device

    Injection of sterile saline into the knee joint to simulate joint swelling and induce quadriceps inhibition.

  • Intra-articular Lidocaine

    Drug

    Injection of 7 mL lidocaine into the knee joint to simulate deafferentation by temporarily blocking sensory input.

  • Sham injection

    Other intervention

    Simulated knee injection using a stage needle without skin penetration, used to blind participants and serve as control.

Treatment groups

45 Participants
are divided into 3 treatment groups
Group A: Effusion GroupExperimental treatment 1 intervention
Group B: Deafferentation GroupActive comparator 1 intervention
Group C: Control GroupSham comparator 1 intervention

Trial outcomes

Primary outcomes

1

Motor Unit Recruitment (amplitude relative to recruitment threshold)

Measured via surface EMG decomposition

Time frame
Baseline, 0, 30, and 60 minutes post-intervention
2

Motor Unit Recruitment (firing rate relative to recruitment threshold)

Measured via surface EMG decomposition

Time frame
Baseline, 0, 30, and 60 minutes post-intervention

Secondary outcomes

1

Quadriceps Inhibition (Hoffmann Reflex)

Measured with femoral nerve stimulation

Time frame
Baseline, 0 and 60 minutes post-intervention
2

Isometric Peak Torque (Quadriceps Strength)

Measured with isokinetic dynamometer (Biodex)

Time frame
Baseline and 60 minutes post-intervention

Other outcomes

Sponsors and contacts

Click on the lead sponsor to view all of their trials.

University of Central Florida

Lead sponsor

Source ClinicalTrials.gov
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