An interventional study of Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation in ACL Injury, sponsored by Schulthess Klinik. Not yet recruiting. Open to participants aged 18 Years to 50 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2025-09-05.
Sponsored by Schulthess Klinik · Not applicable, Interventional, and Other
A major complication after cruciate ligament injury and surgery is arthrogenic muscle inhibition of the quadriceps, which is characterised by a deficit in voluntary muscle activation in the affected leg. This can hinder rehabilitation processes, lead to impaired knee function, and negatively impact the patients' quality of life. The primary objective of this study is to assess whether voluntary quadriceps activation on the injured side is facilitated by the concomitant application of neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) on the contralateral quadriceps.
The primary objective of this study is to assess whether injured-side voluntary quadriceps activation before and after ACL surgery is facilitated by the concomitant application of NMES on the contralateral quadriceps (uninjured side), in comparison to a control (CTRL) condition that does not involve any contralateral activity (passive rest) and to a voluntary (VOL) condition that involves a maximal voluntary contraction of the contralateral quadriceps.
625 studies on the registry are indexed under Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries; 192 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 25 is below the median of 56 across 458 interventional studies indexed under Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries.
Browse Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries studies →Schulthess Klinik is the lead sponsor of 53 studies on the registry; 11 are open to participants now.
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Exclusion Criteria:
Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Weight in kilograms divided by height in metres squared. Example: 70 kg and 1.75 m gives 70 ÷ (1.75 × 1.75) ≈ 22.9.
What counts as overweight or obesity differs between countries (some use lower cut-offs), so go by the range the study states.
BMI (body mass index)
Weight in kilograms divided by height in metres squared. Example: 70 kg and 1.75 m gives 70 ÷ (1.75 × 1.75) ≈ 22.9.
What counts as overweight or obesity differs between countries (some use lower cut-offs), so go by the range the study states.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Participants receive neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) applied to the quadriceps muscle of the contralateral leg while performing voluntary quadriceps contractions on the injured side. Each participant completes two sessions: one after ACL injury and one after ACL reconstruction surgery.
Device: Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation
Studies in healthy individuals have demonstrated that NMES applied to the quadriceps of one limb induces short-term increases in strength and neural drive in the contralateral homologous muscle. Since these effects have only been observed in healthy individuals, it is essential to investigate whether similar responses occur in ACL patients.
EMG activity
EMG data will be recorded from the vastus medialis, vastus lateralis and rectus femoris muscles.
Time frame: Data will be collected at two time points: after ACL injury (within two weeks prior to surgery) and following ACL reconstruction (within three days post-surgery).
No study locations are listed for this record.
Plan to share: Undecided
No publications or documents are linked to this record.
This study is not yet recruiting, as verified in Aug 2025. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
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Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries →
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