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Updated: Jul 22, 2025
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Published on: March 1, 2024
Is quadriceps strength associated with patellofemoral joint loading after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction?
Anthony G Schache1, Prasanna Sritharan1, Kay M Crossley1
1La Trobe Sport and Exercise Medicine Research Centre, School of Allied Health, Human Services and Sport, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Australia.
Objective:
To test whether quadriceps strength is associated with measures of patellofemoral (PF) joint loading during running and hopping in people after an anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR).
Design:
Cross-sectional study.
Setting:
Biomechanics laboratory.
Participants:
Sixty-five participants (24 women; 41 men) 1-2 years post-ACLR.
Main Outcome Measures:
Peak isometric quadriceps strength for the surgical limb was measured using a dynamometer. Motion analysis and ground reaction force data were combined with musculoskeletal modelling to measure PF joint loading variables for the reconstructed knee (peak knee flexion angle; peak/impulse of the PF joint contact force; time to peak PF joint contact force) during the stance phase of running and during the landing phase of a standardised forward hop. Linear regression analysis (adjusting for age and sex) assessed the association between quadriceps strength and PF joint loading variables.
Results:
Two significant, albeit modest, associations were revealed. Quadriceps strength was associated with the time to peak PF joint contact force during running (β = -0.001; 95%CI -0.002 to -0.000; R2 = 0.179) and the impulse of the PF joint contact force during hopping (β = 0.014; 95%CI 0.003 to 0.024; R2 = 0.159).
Conclusions:
A strong link between quadriceps strength and PF joint loading was not evident in people 1-2 years post-ACLR.
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