The Effects of Cognitive Dual-Tasking in Later Stages of Rehabilitation After ACL Reconstruction
Trial statusRecruiting
Trial phaseNot applicable
Trial typeInterventional
Biological sexAll
Age18-40
SponsorUniversity Ghent
About this trial
Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries are common in sports and often require a long and challenging rehabilitation process. Athletes who sustain these injuries typically engage in pivoting and cutting sports, where these motor tasks must be performed simultaneously with cognitive tasks such as decision-making and keeping an eye on the opponent. Directing attention to both cognitive and motor tasks leads to cognitive-motor interference, which is associated with movement patterns that increase the risk of ACL (re)injury.
Therefore, it is crucial that before returning to such demanding sports after ACL reconstruction, athletes sufficiently develop and automate safe yet efficient motor skills to free up attentional capacity for decision-making, thereby reducing the risk of suboptimal movement patterns and reinjury.
However, current rehabilitation programs often primarily focus on the motor component in a single-task manner, giving insufficient attention to the cognitive component that is inseparable from sports.
This randomized controlled trial aims to investigate the effects of implementing motor-cognitive dual tasks in the end phase rehabilitation after ACL reconstruction on muscle function, functional outcomes, and patient-reported outcomes.
Eligibility criteria
This trial does not accept healthy volunteersQualifiers
18-40 years old.
Having suffered an ACL rupture.
Undergoing a surgical ACL reconstruction in the AZ Delta hospital in Roeselare (Campus Brugsesteenweg).
Disqualifiers
Revision ACL reconstruction.
Other severe injuries to the lower limbs within the past year.
Muscle or neurological disorders affecting lower limb functioning.
Fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue syndrome.
Trial design
Design model
Parallel
Treatments tested in this trial
Cognitive dual task training (intervention group)
Other interventionSimultaneously performing cognitive tasks and motor rehabilitative exercises.
Standard of care physiotherapy (control group)
Other interventionThe current best physical therapy treatment for patients with anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction based on existing scientific evidence.
Treatment groups
80 Participants
are divided into 2 treatment groupsGroup A: Dual task trainingExperimental treatment 1 intervention
Group B: Standard of care physiotherapyActive comparator 1 intervention
Trial outcomes
Primary outcomes
1
Psychological readiness to return to sport
Questioned using the ACL-RSI. Scores range from 0 to 100. Higher scores indicate higher psychological readiness.
Time frame
5 months post ACL reconstruction (= prior to intervention); 7 months post ACL reconstruction (= after the intervention); 9 months post ACL reconstruction (= after a 2 month retention period)2
Quadriceps and hamstrings activity / cocontraction during hop tasks
Electromyographical measurement of quadriceps and hamstrings activation during hop tasks.
Time frame
5 months post ACL reconstruction (= prior to intervention); 7 months post ACL reconstruction (= after the intervention); 9 months post ACL reconstruction (= after a 2 month retention period)3
Patient reported knee function
Questioned using the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) with its different subscores. Scores on the KOOS range from 0-100, with 0 representing the greatest possible problems in terms of knee function and 100 representing no problems.
Time frame
5 months post ACL reconstruction (= prior to intervention); 7 months post ACL reconstruction (= after the intervention); 9 months post ACL reconstruction (= after a 2 month retention period)4
Jumping height in hop tests
Performance in single hop tests and a single leg drop-jump expressed by jump height in centimeters.
Time frame
5 months post ACL reconstruction (= prior to intervention); 7 months post ACL reconstruction (= after the intervention); 9 months post ACL reconstruction (= after a 2 month retention period)Secondary outcomes
1
Quadriceps and hamstrings strength
Measured on the biodex.
Time frame
5 months post ACL reconstruction (= prior to intervention); 7 months post ACL reconstruction (= after the intervention); 9 months post ACL reconstruction (= after a 2 month retention period)2
Kinesiophobia
Questioned using the Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia (TSK). Scores on the TSK range from 17 to 68, with higher scores indicating more kinesiophobia.
Time frame
5 months post ACL reconstruction (= prior to intervention); 7 months post ACL reconstruction (= after the intervention); 9 months post ACL reconstruction (= after a 2 month retention period)3
Subjective knee stability
Questioned using the first question of the Lysholm questionnaire. Scores range from 0 to 25 with 25 indicating no symptoms of subjective instability.
Time frame
5 months post ACL reconstruction (= prior to intervention); 7 months post ACL reconstruction (= after the intervention); 9 months post ACL reconstruction (= after a 2 month retention period)4
The amount of pain that the subjects experience.
Questioned using a Numeric Rating Scale. The scores range between 0 and 10 with 10 0representing the highest level of pain.
Time frame
5 months post ACL reconstruction (= prior to intervention); 7 months post ACL reconstruction (= after the intervention); 9 months post ACL reconstruction (= after a 2 month retention period)Other outcomes
1
Duration of ground contact in hop tests
Performance in single hop tests and a single leg drop-jump expressed by the duration of ground contact.
Time frame
5 months post ACL reconstruction (= prior to intervention); 7 months post ACL reconstruction (= after the intervention); 9 months post ACL reconstruction (= after a 2 month retention period)2
Performance in the T-agility test
It will be measured how much time subjects require to complete a T-agility test.
Time frame
5 months post ACL reconstruction (= prior to intervention); 7 months post ACL reconstruction (= after the intervention); 9 months post ACL reconstruction (= after a 2 month retention period)3
Strength endurance during timed single leg step down and timed single leg squat
The strength endurance of the subjects will be evaluated by the amount of repetitions they can perform in a time span of 30 seconds.
Time frame
5 months post ACL reconstruction (= prior to intervention); 7 months post ACL reconstruction (= after the intervention); 9 months post ACL reconstruction (= after a 2 month retention period)4
Expectations regarding return to sport
Questioned using the Tegner Score: 'how active do you want to be at the end of your rehabilitation?'. The scores range from 0 to 10, with higher scores indicating higher activity levels.
Time frame
5 months post ACL reconstruction (= prior to intervention); 7 months post ACL reconstruction (= after the intervention); 9 months post ACL reconstruction (= after a 2 month retention period)Sponsors and contacts
Click on the lead sponsor to view all of their trials.
University Ghent
Lead sponsor
Research Foundation Flanders
Collaborator
Source ClinicalTrials.gov