Abstract des Autors

A comparison in terms of muscle strength between 15 ACL lesions treated in acute phase (15 days on average) (group A), 18 in chronic phase (39 months on average) (group B) and 20 normal volunteers as controls (group C) was done. During the year 1990, all the patients were operated arthroscopically using semitendinosus and gracilis tendons as autogenous grafts. The same rehabilitation program was used. Extensor and flexor muscle strength was evaluated with a Cybex II isokinetic dynamometer. The peak quadriceps and hamstrings torque, the body weight (BW)/peak torque ratio and the hamstrings/quadriceps ratio were measured at 60ø, 120ø and 180ø/sec (5 repetitions). Cybex II testing revealed statistically significant differences between group B and the other two groups in terms of peak extension and flexion torques, BW/quadriceps torque ratio and BW/hamstrings torque ratio and in hamstrings/quadriceps ratio (P=0.01 at 60ø/sec and p=0.05 at 120ø/sec). The index of quadriceps strength symmetry between lower limbs was -2.8%, -3% and +5.3% for group A, B and C respectively (n.s.) and the hamstrings index was -2.7%, -2.8% and -2,6% respectively (n.s.). In conclusion, in these selected groups of athletes, the ACL reconstruction performed in an early phase from the injury allowed a better recovery of balancing and muscle strength of the injured lower limb. Verf.-Referat