No Difference in Static Postural Stability Bilaterally or Versus Control at 12 Weeks after Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction.
Alessa R Lennon, Carolyn Killelea, Mallory S Faherty and 1 others
PMID 41346849WHAT IT FOUND
At 12 weeks after ACL reconstruction, single-leg static balance was no worse in the operated leg than the other leg or healthy controls.
This test alone does not show full recovery.
Key findings
01At 12 weeks after ACL reconstruction, static postural stability was not significantly different between the involved and uninvolved legs.
02At 12 weeks after ACL reconstruction, the involved leg was not significantly different from the dominant leg of healthy controls.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
The ACLR group had only 29 participants, so the study may not have had enough power to detect small differences. There was no testing before surgery or immediately after surgery, so it is unclear whether any early postural stability deficit existed and resolved by 12 weeks. The balance task was static, and the authors say it may not have been challenging enough for physically active participants. The sample came from one institution, and control data were drawn from earlier studies rather than concurrent testing. Only one time point was assessed, so changes over time could not be measured.
Declared interests
The authors report no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that postural stability is fully recovered at 12 weeks after ACL reconstruction. The study did not test people before surgery or immediately after surgery, and the static single-leg balance task may have been too easy to detect subtle deficits.
Summarised by AI from the full paper, without a clinician reviewing it. Check it against the source before it changes what you do. Read it on PubMed →