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Background: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the functional status prior to and at different times after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR), and to analyze the changes in the kinetic patterns of the involved and uninvolved lower limb during gait, sprint and three hop tests.Materials and Methods: Seventy-four male patients with an ACL injury were included in the study. All patients performed a standardized kinetic protocol including gait, sprint and three hop tests (single-leg hop, drop vertical jump and vertical jump tests), preoperatively and at 3, 6, and 12 months after ACLR with a semitendinosus gracilis tendon autograft. Measurements were performed with two force plates. The lower limb symmetry index (LSI) was calculated to determine whether a side-to-side leg difference was classified as normal (LSI >90%) or abnormal (LSI <90%).Results: The LSI presented high values (>90%) at almost all times before and after ACLR in gait, sprint and single-leg hop tests (p < 0.005), with a tendency to increase postoperatively. A lower LSI was observed (<90%) in tests where both extremities were tested simultaneously, such as the drop vertical jump and vertical hop tests (p < 0.05).Conclusion: We observed a tendency to increase symmetry restoration in the kinetics of the involved and uninvolved limb up to twelve months after ACLR, especially in those tests, in which, both limbs were tested individually (gait analysis, sprint and single-leg hop tests). Therefore, the isolation of the involved and uninvolved limb seems to be a critical component in the functional rehabilitation and evaluation of patients before and after ACLR.Level Of Evidence: level III. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The aim of the study was to compare the radiological results at maturity of patients with Legg-Calve-Perthes disease, treated either by a uniform conservative treatment or by an adductor longus tenotomy. Methods: The study cohort comprised 349 hips, mean age 4.4 years. Patients were classified in two different groups depending on the treatment performed. The conservative group (Group I) consisted of 318 hips that had been treated by physical therapy and abduction cast/brace, with a mean age 4.3 years (range 1–10). The tenotomy group (Group II) consisted of 31 hips (treated conservatively but developed an adduction contracture limited to 30°), which had been treated by adductor longus tenotomy with a mean age of 6.2 years (range 2–9). Hip range of motion and radiographic studies were performed at the time of admission. The extent of femoral epiphyseal involvement was assessed at each follow-up by the method of Herring. The final outcomes were assessed at skeletal maturity according to the Stulberg classification system. Results: Only one patient (two hips) from Group II experienced an improvement in abduction, which was maintained throughout the follow-up until complete the healing of Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease was achieved. In the remaining 29 hips, we observed a progressive loss of ROM previous to 4.3 months from the tenotomy. According to the Stulberg classification, we did not find differences between both groups at final follow-up ( p > 0.05). Conclusions: These preliminary data suggest that the isolated tenotomy of the adductor longus tendon does not modify the natural evolution of Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]