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While ACL reconstruction aims to restore pre-injury knee function, such surgeries are not always effective. This study’s purpose was to examine the impact of ACL reconstruction and changes in gait speed on midstance and stride length to assess whether ACL reconstruction restores function. Stride length; percent of gait spent in midstance; and angles at the hip, knee, and ankle at the subject’s natural and self-selected increased speed were compared for the affected and unaffected legs. The subject was filmed walking during four conditions: unaffected leg at natural speed, affected leg at natural speed, unaffected leg at increased speed, and affected leg at increased speed. The results indicate that stride length increased with increasing speed, with the affected leg producing longer stride lengths at both speeds. The percent of gait spent in midstance decreased with increasing speed and was lower in the affected leg at both speeds. Joint angle difference between the two legs was minimal. Hip extension in the unaffected leg and plantarflexion in the affected leg were greater during stance at the natural speed, while during swing, plantarflexion in the affected leg at the natural speed and knee extension in the affected leg at the increased speed were greater. Since we observed a restoration in stride length, a semi-restoration in joint angles, and a lack of restoration in percent of gait spent in midstance for the affected leg, we cannot conclude whether ACL reconstruction restores function, assuming that the unaffected leg functions similarly to the affected leg pre-injury.

Group Members: Brianna Doss, Madison LeCroy, Kelcey McGeown-Conron, and Samantha Olsen