A test battery for evaluating hop performance in patients with an ACL injury and patients who have undergone ACL reconstruction

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to develop a test battery of hop tests with high ability to discriminate (i.e. high test-retest reliability, sensitivity, specificity and accuracy) between the hop performance of the injured and the uninjured side in patients with an ACL injury and in patients who have undergone ACL reconstruction. Five hop tests were analysed: three maximum single hop tests and two hop tests while developing fatigue. Fifteen healthy subjects performed the five hop tests on three separate occasions in a test-retest design. Thirty patients, mean 11 months after an ACL injury and 35 patients, mean 6 months after ACL reconstruction were tested. ICC values ranged from 0.85 to 0.97 for the five hop tests, indicating that all the tests had high test-retest reliability. Sixty-seven percent to 100% of the healthy subjects had normal symmetry (i.e. <10% side-to-side difference) in the five hop tests. Abnormal symmetry in the five hop tests ranged from 43 to 77% for patients with an ACL injury and from 51 to 86% for patients who had undergone ACL reconstruction respectively. The three tests with the highest ability to discriminate hop performance were chosen for the test battery; they were the vertical jump, the hop for distance and the side hop. The test battery revealed a high level of sensitivity and accuracy in patients with an ACL injury (87 and 84%) and in patients who had undergone ACL reconstruction (91 and 88%), when at least one of the three tests was classified as abnormal. To summarise, the test battery consisting of both maximum single hop performances: the vertical jump and the hop for distance and hop performance while developing fatigue: the side hop, produced high test-retest reliability, sensitivity and accuracy. Further, the test battery produced higher values compared with any of the three hop tests individually revealing that only one out of ten patients had restored hop performance 11 months after an ACL injury and 6 months after ACL reconstruction. It is concluded that this test battery showed a high ability to discriminate between the hop performance of the injured and the uninjured side both in patients with an ACL injury and in patients who have undergone ACL reconstruction.

Motion Alterations After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction: Comparison of the Injured and Uninjured Lower Limbs During a Single-Legged Jump

“…We found jump height was 24% less in the IL than the UL after ACL reconstruction. This decrease confirms the findings of Gustavsson et al, 13 who also observed a 24% decrease during vertical jump after surgery. The release velocity of the body's center of mass at takeoff was reduced; however, we did not find greater POP duration in the IL than the UL.…”

“…12 Functional tests use single-legged functional movements involving the hip, knee, and ankle joints to identify performance deficits between the lower extremities. During vertical jumps, jump height was 14% to 24% less in the injured leg (IL) than in the UL 13 6 months after ACL reconstruction. Mohtadi et al 1 concluded that the results of functional tests did not differ with graft location.…”

Prehabilitation: The Void in the Management of Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries—A Clinical Review

“…This study adopted the Limb Symmetrical Index (LSI) of >90% which was considered normal [118,119] and compared between the two group. Due to these recent trials on the effects of rehabilitation with and without ACL reconstruction, patients with symptomatic unstable knees should be individually assessed regarding symptoms such as knee instability and type and frequency of current and future activities.…”

Return to sports after ACL reconstruction: individual considerations

“…When, how and if ACL-injured athletes can return to sports is a very controversial topic [1][2][3][4][5][6]. ACL injuries are still a major problem for the insured athlete and the society, in spite of the great number of research studies published.…”