IADMS New York 2002   [back to the Category]
Comparison of Kinetic, Kinematic and Electromyographic Activity and Strength ...   [read the french version]
  Marijeanne Liederbach, MSATC, MSPT, CSCS & Al.
Comparison of Kinetic, Kinematic and Electromyographic Activity and Strength in Dancers with
ACL-Normal versus ACL-Reconstructed Knees

Marijeanne Liederbach, MSATC, MSPT, CSCS;
Megan Richardson, ATC; Faye Dilgen, MSPT; Julie Daugherty, MSPT
Harkness Center for Dance Injuries
New York, New York, USA


Jeffrey Rosen, MD
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Hospital for Joint Diseases
New York, New York, USA


Surgical reconstruction of ACL-impaired knees often entails autograph donation of tendons surrounding the injured knee. To date, no comparisons of the kinetic, kinematic and electromyographic activity or end-range flexion strength in dancers of their ACL-normal versus ACL-reconstructed knees using semitendinosus-gracilis grafts or patellar tendon grafts have been published.

Sixty women and sixty men dancers volunteered to undergo a battery of human performance tests including single limb stance, dual and single limb jump landing, and manual muscle testing for end-range, eccentric hamstring strength in the 130? to 90? range of motion.

Subjects grouped according to ACL-status will undergo repeat measures of laboratory motion analysis and strength testing. Data will be averaged from three test trials per condition and scrutinized for significance using one-way ANOVA at the .05 level.

Differences between subjects in the semitendinosus-gracilis surgical group and subjects in the patellar tendon group will be compared to subjects in the normal group as well as to their own ipsilateral, ACL-intact limb.

Autograft donation for ACL reconstruction is expected to impact the patterns of neuromuscular behavior and motor control strategy in the lower limbs of dancers. The results of this study will provide information about what special attention beyond routine post-operative physical therapy protocols ACL-reconstructed dancers will need to ensure safe return to the complex movement demands of their dance training and performance schedules.
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