Preoperative Rehabilitation for Patient With an ACL Injury

Participants of 'resistance training' group will perform a training program built on the principles of strength training to increase knee muscles strength and volume. Three blocks of 3 weeks will induce a progressive increase in training load, with exercises performed close to failure. The exercising part for participants of 'RT group' will be composed by a progressive increase in load over the 9 weeks. For that purpose, the intensity of load will be increased each 3 weeks (i.e. on the session 1, 10, and 19), using a low-load of 25RM (W1 to W3), mid-load of 10 RM (W4 to W6), and a high-load of 8 RM (W7 to W9) at the end of the program. During each session, the exercise will be performed at an intensity of RPE 9-10 (i.e. near to failure). Based on the literature this progressivity and intensity in loads will target gains in strength and volume among strengthened muscle groups. (Schoenfeld et al., 2021).

Participants of 'usual group' will perform traditional exercises including: balance/proprioceptive exercises, weight-balances exercises, and body-weight resistance training exercises. The exercising part for participants of 'usual training group' will comport traditional exercises used in prehabilitation, including: balance/proprioceptive exercises, weight-balances exercises, and body-weight resistance training exercises. Again, the 9 weeks will be sub-divided into 3 blocks of 3 weeks for inducing a progressive increase in training load. During w1 to w3, priority will be given to gait, weight balance and knee ROM exercises. From w4 to w7, proprioceptive and jumping exercises will be introduced. During the last 3 weeks, participants will perform 2 sets of 10 repetitions of body-weight exercises.