Do Patients With ACL Tears Demonstrate Weakness of the Soleus Muscle?
NCT ID: NCT06235736
Last Updated: 2026-02-18
Study Results
The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.
Basic Information
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RECRUITING
55 participants
OBSERVATIONAL
2024-01-17
2027-12-31
Brief Summary
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The main questions we aim to answer are:
* Do patients with ACL tears demonstrate inter-limb soleus strength asymmetry (\>10%)
* Do patients with ACL tears have soleus muscle weakness compared with uninjured (normative) participants?
* Do changes in soleus strength values correlate with patient reported outcomes and stability, as measured by the IKDC questionnaire?
To achieve this the VALD force frame will be used as the testing device for plantar flexor strength testing. This device records the force generated by the movement. This will be repeated three times on each leg as part of the testing procedure. Furthermore, as part of the testing procedure participants will be required to fill out an IKDC form to assess their knee stability. Interrater reliability of the force frame will be investigated.
Further data from participants without ACL tears will be used to compare results. Thus allowing us to see if people with ACL tears have a weakness in the soleus muscle.
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Detailed Description
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Patients identified as eligible according to the protocol inclusion and exclusion criteria will be invited to participate in the study through informed written consent so that their clinical measurements can be used as research data. Healthy volunteers will be identified by direct email invitation or word of mouth. Healthy volunteers will be members of staff at Aintree Hospital, LUHFT.
Patients will undergo the clinically established treatment pathway for rehabilitation with lower limb muscle strength and performance measurements taken from isometric seated calf raise using the Vald Forceframe and single leg jump using Vald Forcedecks. Measurements will be performed with maximal ankle dorsiflexion and the knee flexion angle greater than 90 degrees. Three submaximal warmups will be performed followed by three maximum efforts, taking the maximum reading for analysis.
Normative values from healthy participants will be collected using the same clinical protocol.
Patients and healthy participants will be asked to complete the international knee documentation committee (IKDC) questionnaire at the start and end of rehabilitation, to determine subjective complaints of instability.
Conditions
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Study Design
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OTHER
PROSPECTIVE
Study Groups
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MRI-confirmed ACL tear group
This group will have had a complete ACL tear confirmed by MRI scan
No interventions assigned to this group
Normative group
This group will provide normative data for the study. They will have no previous history of significant knee injury and no current symptomatic lower limb injuries.
No interventions assigned to this group
Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria
* MRI-confirmed ACL tear.
* Participant is willing and able to give informed consent in writing for participation in the study.
* Male or Female, aged 18 years to 55 years of age.
Exclusion Criteria
* No current or previous history of significant lower limb injury, or a history of previous minor injury that is symptomatic at the time of recruitment.
* No previous lower limb surgery.
* No course of medication, whether prescribed or over the counter, other than vitamins and mineral supplements or, for females, oral contraceptives.
* History of chronic musculoskeletal disease or disorder in either leg that may put the participants at risk because of participation in the study including non-united fractures, epilepsy, cardiac insufficiency, severe peripheral vascular disease, aneurysms, anticoagulant therapy, recent (\<3 months) radiotherapy or chemotherapy, long term steroid use (\>3 months), pregnancy, neurological disorders (e.g., Parkinson's disease), skin conditions at point of force testing, severe osteoporosis, malignancy, rheumatoid arthritis.
* Conditions or symptoms that may influence the result of the study, or the participant's ability to participate in the study including pain, limited range of motion, knee effusion, or anaemia.
18 Years
55 Years
ALL
Yes
Sponsors
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University of Liverpool
OTHER
Responsible Party
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Principal Investigators
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Rachel Oldershaw
Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
University of Liverpool
Locations
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Aintree Hospital, Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Liverpool, , United Kingdom
Countries
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Central Contacts
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Facility Contacts
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Other Identifiers
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UoL001827
Identifier Type: -
Identifier Source: org_study_id
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