Eccentric knee flexor weakness in elite female footballers 1–10 years following anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction

Abstract

ObjectivesTo determine eccentric knee flexor strength in elite female Australian Rules Football (ARF) players with and without a history of unilateral anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) using an ipsilateral semitendinosus graft. DesignCase-control. SettingElite ARF Women's competition. ParticipantsEighty-four elite female ARF players (mean age, 25 ± 4.9 years; height, 1.71 ± 0.73 m; weight, 67 kg ± 7.4 kg) with (n = 12) and without (n = 72) a history of unilateral ACLR in the previous 10 years. Main outcome measuresPeak eccentric knee flexor force during the Nordic hamstring exercise (NHE). ResultsPlayers with a history of unilateral ACLR displayed lower levels of eccentric knee flexor strength in their surgically reconstructed limb than their uninjured contralateral limb (mean difference −53.77 N, 95% CI = −85.06 to −24.27, d = −0.51) and compared to the limbs of players with no history of injury (mean difference = −46.32 N, 95% CI = −86.65 to −11.13, d = −0.73). ConclusionElite female ARF players with a history of unilateral ACLR display deficits in eccentric knee flexor strength in their surgically reconstructed limb for up to 10 years following surgery.