Muscle weakness after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction using patellar and quadriceps tendons

Eighty-five knees of 85 patients who underwent anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction with autologous patellar and quadriceps tendon grafts were followed for 3-7 years. Hamstrings strength improved to normal. Quadriceps strength in men returned to the preoperative level, but not to normal strength. Quadriceps strength in women, at the final follow-up, was significantly less than it had been preoperatively. This weakness may be a consequence of impairment of the knee extensor mechanism resulting from harvesting the graft. Although favorable postoperative stability of the knee was obtained, we do not recommend this technique for ACL reconstruction because of the quadriceps weakness.