Quadriceps strength changes across the continuum of care in adolescent male and female athletes with anterior cruciate ligament injury and reconstruction

ObjectivesTo examine the quadriceps strength (QUADS) on the surgical (SURG) and non-surgical (Non-SURG) limbs in adolescent male and female athletes at pre-operative (PRE), 12 weeks post-operative (12WK), and return to sport (RTS) time points following ACL injury and reconstruction.DesignProspective cohort study design.SettingClinical Research Laboratory.Participants66 adolescent athletes.Main outcome measuresIsokinetic QUADS of the SURG and Non-SURG limbs at the PRE, 12WK, and RTS time points were assessed and compared between each time point.ResultsBoth male and female participants had significantly lower 12 WK QUADS in the SURG limb than the PRE QUADS, but the RTS QUADS was significantly greater than the 12WK QUAD (p < 0.05). However, only female participants had greater RTS QUADS as compared to the PRE QUADS (p < 0.001). For the Non-SURG limb, only male participants had a significant improvement over time (PRE vs RTS; p < 0.001).ConclusionAdolescent males and females differ in their QUADS recovery across the continuum of care following ACLR. Clinicians should consider this pattern of recovery when treating adolescent males and females.