Banca de DEFESA: ALEF CAVALCANTI MATIAS DE BARROS

Uma banca de DEFESA de DOUTORADO foi cadastrada pelo programa.
STUDENT : ALEF CAVALCANTI MATIAS DE BARROS
DATE: 18/12/2025
TIME: 14:00
LOCAL: Departamento de Fisioterapia
TITLE:

Isokinetic performance after ACL reconstruction with autografts
of the rectus femoris tendon versus hamstring tendon.

 

KEY WORDS:

ACL reconstruction; rectus femoris tendon; quadriceps strength;
hamstring autograft; isokinetic testing.

 

PAGES: 78
BIG AREA: Ciências da Saúde
AREA: Fisioterapia e Terapia Ocupacional
SUMMARY:

Introduction: Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury represents one of the most disabling injuries in sports traumatology. Surgical
reconstruction is the gold standard treatment, with success dependent
on graft quality and appropriate rehabilitation. The rectus femoris (RF)
tendon emerges as a promising alternative to the patellar tendon
(BPTB) and hamstring tendon (HT). However, significant gaps remain
in the evidence regarding functional performance in the postoperative
period, particularly concerning recovery of muscular strength.
Objectives: Study I = To evaluate bilateral isokinetic performance
symmetry of knee extensors and flexors six months after ACL
reconstruction using rectus femoris autograft. Study II = To compare
isokinetic knee muscle performance six months after ACL
reconstruction using autologous rectus femoris (RF) versus hamstring
tendon (HT) grafts.
Methods: Study I = This retrospective case series included patients
recruited consecutively at a single tertiary sports medicine center
between January 2023 and July 2024. Inclusion criteria required
primary ACL reconstruction with rectus femoris autograft, absence of
previous knee surgery, and minimum follow-up of 6 months. Patients
undergoing revision surgery or multiligamentous procedures were
excluded. Isokinetic testing was performed at six months
postoperatively using a computerized dynamometer. The unaffected
limb was tested first, followed by the operative limb. Patients
performed five maximal effort attempts at 60°/s for both extension and
flexion. Measured outcomes included peak torque (PT), peak torque
normalized to body weight (PT/BW), angle at peak torque (aPT), total
work (TW), and mean power (MP) for knee extensors and flexors.
Paired t-tests compared limbs, with statistical significance set at p ≤
0.05.
Study II = In this cross-sectional study, 75 male patients undergoing
primary ACL reconstruction with autologous RF (n = 31) or HT (n =
44) grafts were evaluated approximately 6 months postoperatively.
Bilateral isokinetic testing at angular velocity of 60°/s measured peak
torque (PT), peak torque normalized to body weight (PT/BW), angle at
peak torque (aPT), total work (TW), and mean power (MP) of knee
flexor and extensor groups.
Results: Study I = Thirty-one male patients (mean age 26.3 ± 4.7
years) were included with mean follow-up of 6.2 ± 0.4 months. The
operative limb achieved 71% of contralateral extensor peak torque and
75% of mean power, with significant deficits in extension PT (p <
0.001), PT/BW (p < 0.001), TW (p < 0.001), and MP (p = 0.002). No
significant difference was found for aPT (p = 0.457). Flexor
performance demonstrated near-complete recovery, with the operative
limb achieving 93% of contralateral peak torque and 90% of total work,
with p = 0.355, 0.340, 0.902, 0.153, and 0.316 for PT, PT/BW, aPT,
TW, and MP, respectively.
Study II = No statistically significant differences were observed
between RF and HT groups in any isokinetic performance variables of
knee extensors (p > 0.05). The RF group demonstrated higher knee
flexor performance values compared to the HT group, except for angle
at peak torque (p = 0.300). Conclusions: Study I = After six months, ACL reconstruction with
rectus femoris autograft was associated with complete recovery of knee
flexor function but with persistent deficits in extensor function.
Study II = Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction technique
using rectus femoris (RF) graft did not result in significant strength
deficit in knee extensors compared to hamstring tendon (HT)
technique. The RF group demonstrated superior knee flexor
performance, suggesting that this technique preserves functionality of
flexor muscles.

 

 

COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
Interno - 2275864 - CAIO ALANO DE ALMEIDA LINS
Externo à Instituição - DANIEL TEZONI BORGES - F.M.Nassau
Presidente - 1149610 - JAMILSON SIMOES BRASILEIRO
Externo à Instituição - JOSÉ JAMACY DE ALMEIDA FERREIRA - UFPB
Interno - 2566849 - WOUBER HÉRICKSON DE BRITO VIEIRA