Effect of Contralateral NMES on Quadriceps Activation After ACL Injury or Surgery

NCT ID: NCT07156734

Last Updated: 2025-09-05

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: NOT_YET_RECRUITING
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 25 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2025-09-30
• Study Completion Date: 2026-09-30

Brief Summary

A major complication after cruciate ligament injury and surgery is arthrogenic muscle inhibition of the quadriceps, which is characterised by a deficit in voluntary muscle activation in the affected leg. This can hinder rehabilitation processes, lead to impaired knee function, and negatively impact the patients' quality of life. The primary objective of this study is to assess whether voluntary quadriceps activation on the injured side is facilitated by the concomitant application of neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) on the contralateral quadriceps.

Detailed Description

The primary objective of this study is to assess whether injured-side voluntary quadriceps activation before and after ACL surgery is facilitated by the concomitant application of NMES on the contralateral quadriceps (uninjured side), in comparison to a control (CTRL) condition that does not involve any contralateral activity (passive rest) and to a voluntary (VOL) condition that involves a maximal voluntary contraction of the contralateral quadriceps.

Conditions

ACL Injury

Study Design

• Allocation Method: NA
• Intervention Model: SINGLE_GROUP
• Primary Study Purpose: OTHER
• Blinding Strategy: NONE

Study Groups

Contralateral NMES

Participants receive neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) applied to the quadriceps muscle of the contralateral leg while performing voluntary quadriceps contractions on the injured side. Each participant completes two sessions: one after ACL injury and one after ACL reconstruction surgery.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation

Intervention Type: DEVICE

Studies in healthy individuals have demonstrated that NMES applied to the quadriceps of one limb induces short-term increases in strength and neural drive in the contralateral homologous muscle. Since these effects have only been observed in healthy individuals, it is essential to investigate whether similar responses occur in ACL patients.

Interventions

Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation

Studies in healthy individuals have demonstrated that NMES applied to the quadriceps of one limb induces short-term increases in strength and neural drive in the contralateral homologous muscle. Since these effects have only been observed in healthy individuals, it is essential to investigate whether similar responses occur in ACL patients.

Intervention Type: DEVICE

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Patients undergoing ACL surgery with semitendinosus tendon autograft in the Schulthess Clinic
• Unilateral and primary ACL injury (with/without diagnoses of additional meniscus injury)

Exclusion Criteria

• Previous surgery/ligament rupture in injured or uninjured knee or hip
• Severe pain in the uninjured-side quadriceps or knee joint
• Ongoing pregnancy
• BMI >30 kg/m²
• Neuromuscular disease
• Open wounds or tissue injuries on the anterior aspect of the thigh
• Additional rupture of other knee ligaments (posterior cruciate ligament, medial collateral ligament, lateral collateral ligament)
• Implanted metallic/electronic devices (cardiac pacemakers, defibrillators)
• Patients getting a femoralis block (peripheral nerve block) after surgery will be excluded for the post-surgical appointment
• Insufficient language comprehension

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 50 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

Schulthess Klinik

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Nicola Maffiuletti

Head Research Group Human Performance Lab

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Central Contacts

Nicola Angelo Maffiuletti, PhD

Role: CONTACT

nicola.maffiuletti@kws.ch

+41 44 385 75 79

Other Identifiers

2025-00224

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id