Application of Multiple Vertical Jump Tests in Return-to-Play Assessment for Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Athletes

NCT ID: NCT07297511

Last Updated: 2025-12-22

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: NOT_YET_RECRUITING
• Total Enrollment: 36 participants
• Study Classification: OBSERVATIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2025-12-29
• Study Completion Date: 2026-01-30

Brief Summary

Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury is a common sports-related injury, particularly in sports that require extensive jumping and cutting movements. Although anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) surgery can restore knee stability, many athletes still face the risk of re-injury after returning to competition.Current return-to-play assessment relies primarily on single-plane horizontal hop tests and symmetry indices (LSI ≥ 90%); however, an increasing body of research suggests that these tests may not comprehensively reflect functional deficits in the vertical plane, repeated hopping, or high-intensity sport-specific activities.This study hypothesizes that incorporating multiple vertical jump tests-including single-leg vertical jumps and 10-second repeated vertical jumps-combined with advanced force plate analytics (such as Reactive Strength Index [RSI] and Time to Stabilization [TTS])-can more sensitively reveal residual neuromuscular control deficits following surgery. This approach would provide evidence-based guidance for return-to-play decision-making, thereby improving athletes' long-term athletic performance and safety.

Detailed Description

This cross-sectional study compares biomechanical performance between ACLR athletes (>6 months post-op) and healthy controls to evaluate whether vertical jump protocols reveal greater limb asymmetries compared to traditional horizontal hop tests. Following a 5-minute stationary bicycle warm-up and familiarization trials, participants perform four unilateral tasks on both limbs: Single-Legged Hop for Distance (SHD), Crossover Hop for Distance (CHD), Single-Legged Vertical Countermovement Jump (SLVJ), and 10-Second Repeated Single-Legged Vertical Jump (SLVJs). All tasks are performed with hands on hips to minimize compensatory motion. Three successful trials are recorded per limb per task with 3-minute rest intervals between sets. Trials are discarded if participants land on the contralateral limb, lose balance, or fail to land on the force plate. Vertical ground reaction forces are collected using a dual-force plate system (Hawkin Dynamics, 3rd Generation) at 1000 Hz. Data processing calculates Limb Symmetry Index (LSI), Modified Reactive Strength Index (RSI) from SLVJs as Jump Height divided by Movement Time, Time to Stabilization (TTS) defined as the duration for vGRF to stabilize within ±5% of body weight, and eccentric/concentric impulse.

Conditions

ACL Reconstruction

Keywords

ACL reconstruction; vertical jump test; return to play

Study Design

• Observational Model Type: CASE_CONTROL
• Study Time Perspective: CROSS_SECTIONAL

Study Groups

Health: Control group

The group include athletes with no lower limbs injury.Participants must be aged 18-35 years and must be elite athletes who have competed in national-level competitions.

No interventions assigned to this group

ACL reconstruction

Participants must be aged 18-35 years with unilateral ACL rupture confirmed by MRI, Lachman test grade ≥2, and reconstruction using hamstring or gracilis autograft with at least 6 months post-operative. Participants must have completed rehabilitation with clearance from an orthopedic surgeon or physical therapist, demonstrate no other lower extremity injuries, and have no contralateral lower limb injury within the past 3 months. Additionally, quadriceps strength symmetry index must be ≥90%, and participants must be elite athletes who have competed in national-level competitions.

No interventions assigned to this group

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• 1.Age 18-35 years

2.Unilateral anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture confirmed by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)

3.Positive Lachman test grade ≥2 pre-operatively

4.Anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) using hamstring or gracilis autograft

5.Post-operative time ≥6 months

6.Completed rehabilitation program with clearance from orthopedic surgeon or physical therapist

7.Quadriceps strength symmetry index ≥90%

.Elite athlete status (prior participation in national-level competitions)

Exclusion Criteria

1. Other lower extremity injuries or pathologies (including other knee ligament injuries)

2. Contralateral lower limb injury within the past 3 months

3. Quadriceps strength symmetry index <90%

4. Non-elite athlete status (no prior national-level competition participation)

5. Incomplete rehabilitation or lack of medical clearance

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 35 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Sponsors

Kaohsiung Medical University

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Cheng-Yen Teng

Principal Investigator

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

GUO L Y Professor and Dean of college, Ph.D.

Role: STUDY_CHAIR

Department of Sports Science, Kaohsiung Medical University, Taiwan

Locations

Kaohsiung Medical University

Kaohsiung City, , Taiwan

Countries

Taiwan

Central Contacts

Teng C Y Kaohsiung Medical University, Bachelor

Role: CONTACT

Phone: +886-958-392-604

Email: a266422a@gmail.com

Facility Contacts

Teng C Y Undergraduate student of Sports Medicine, Bachelor's degree

Role: primary

Guo L Y Professor and Dean of the College of Health Sciences, Doctorate

Role: backup

Other Identifiers

KMUHIRB-F(II)-202 20046

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

KMUHIRB-F(II)-202 20046

Identifier Type: OTHER

Identifier Source: secondary_id