Michigan Split-belt Treadmill Training Program to Improve Long-Term Knee Biomechanics After ACL Reconstruction
Mi-SPA: Michigan Split-belt Adaptation Paradigm to Improve Knee Loading After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction (Aim 3)
University of Michigan
9 participants
Aug 13, 2025
INTERVENTIONAL
Conditions
Summary
The goal of this study is to gather pilot data to help inform a future clinical trial. As such, the investigators will employ a randomized clinical trial design, but data will only be collected on 9 total subjects. Nine subjects will be randomized to 2 split-belt intervention groups (one group where early stance loading is trained and the other where midstance loading is trained) and a placebo group. The goal of this study is to explore the adaptations in knee loading from a 6-week split-belt training intervention. The investigators' main question for this aim is: 1. Does knee loading, measured by the sagittal plane knee moment, change to a greater extent in the split-belt treadmill training groups compared to the placebo group? 2. Are there differences in training-related knee loading changes between individuals trained in the early stance vs. midstance loading split-belt training?
Eligibility
Inclusion Criteria5
- aged 14-45 years
- suffered an acute, complete ACL rupture as confirmed by MRI and physical exam
- have undergone ACL reconstruction w autograft within the past 10 months
- willingness to participate in testing and follow-up as outlined in the protocol
- English-speaking
Exclusion Criteria8
- inability to provide written informed consent
- female subjects who are pregnant or are planning to become pregnant (self-reported)
- previous ACL injury
- previous surgery to either knee
- bony fracture accompanying ACL injury
- patients who experienced a knee dislocation
- patients who had their ACL reconstructed with an allograft
- patients who underwent a multi-ligamentous and/or staged ACL reconstruction
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Interventions
Walking on a split-belt treadmill in which the belt under the ACL leg will move at a speed that is minimally slower than the other belt.
Walking on a split-belt treadmill in which the treadmill belt under the ACL leg will move at a speed faster or slower than the belt under the Non-ACL leg.
Locations(1)
View Full Details on ClinicalTrials.gov
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NCT06529692