Blood Flow Restriction Following ACLR
Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries, ACL, Physical Therapy
About this trial
This is an interventional treatment trial for Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria:
- Adult patients 18-40
- English-speaking
- Primary ACL Reconstruction
- No associated procedures (meniscal repair, other ligamentous pathology), or history of deep vein thrombosis.
- Clinical and radiographic examination (MRI) consistent with an acute full thickness ACL tear and surgical consent for ACL reconstruction with a patellar tendon autograft
- Written and informed consent for study participation
Exclusion Criteria:
- Patients younger than 18 or older than 40 years of age
- Non-native English speaker
- Revision surgery or prior history of knee surgery
- Concomitant ligamentous, meniscal, or cartilage injury that would alter postoperative weight bearing status or rehabilitation protocol
- Inability to comply with the proposed follow-up clinic visits
- Patients lacking decisional capacity
- Patients with a history of deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, or known clotting disorder or hypercoagulable state
- Pregnant or breast-feeding women. Pregnancy as determined by a positive pregnancy test prior to procedure. Females of childbearing potential must agree to use an acceptable birth control method during study participation.
- Worker's compensation patients
- Any clinically significant finding that would place the patient at health risk, impact the study, or affect the completion of the study
- Any psychiatric illness that would prevent comprehension of the details and nature of the study and interfere with follow-up clinic visits
Sites / Locations
Arms of the Study
Arm 1
Arm 2
Sham Comparator
Experimental
Sham Postoperative Rehabilitation
BFR Postoperative Rehabilitation
Patients in this group will complete the standardized postoperative rehabilitation program with sham BFR, which is pressure of 20 mmHG. Exercises will be performed for 4 sets of 30/15/15/15 repetitions with a 30 second rest period between each set. The tourniquet cuff will remain inflated for all sets and rest periods for the selected exercise. A cadence of 2-second concentric and 2- second eccentric contractions (4 second time under tension) will be maintained for each BFR repetition. Upon completion of the exercise, the tourniquet cuff will be deflated, and a 1 minute minimum rest period will occur before moving on to another BFR exercise.
Assigned intervention of BFR where exercises are performed with BFR at 80% limb occlusion pressure (LOP). Patients in this group will undergo blood flow restriction (BFR) training during their postoperative rehabilitation program (use an inflatable cuff that prevents blood flow from flowing out of the leg while patients perform physical therapy exercises). Exercises will be performed for 4 sets of 30/15/15/15 repetitions with a 30 second rest period between each set.16 The tourniquet cuff will remain inflated for all sets and rest periods for the selected exercise. A cadence of 2-second concentric and 2- second eccentric contractions (4 second time under tension) will be maintained for each BFR repetition. Upon completion of the exercise, the tourniquet cuff will be deflated, and a 1 minute minimum rest period will occur before moving on to another BFR exercise.