Skip to main content

SYSTEMATIC REVIEW article

Front. Physiol.
Sec. Exercise Physiology
Volume 16 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fphys.2025.1501458

How effective of adding specific exercise therapy on patients after anterior cruciate ligament surgery? A systematic review and meta-analysis

Provisionally accepted
Hao Zhou Hao Zhou Jia Qian Jia Qian Yu-Mei Xing Yu-Mei Xing Long Cui Long Cui Yi-Feng Bu Yi-Feng Bu *
  • Jiangsu Normal University, Xuzhou, China

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Context: Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries are prevalent in sports and often require surgical intervention followed by rehabilitation. There are a number of rehabilitation methods that have been used in patients after ACL.Objective: This study aimed to assess the overall efficacy of exercise therapy in improving outcomes for patients following ACL surgery, using a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Data sources: PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and Cochrane Library were searched for randomized controlled trials published from January 1, 2000 to August 30, 2024. Study quality was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool. Study selection: A total of 11 randomized controlled trials (whole body vibration training = 4, core-stability training = 2, strength training = 3, blood flow restriction training = 1, aquatic training = 1) with 552 anterior cruciate ligament surgery patients were included. Data extraction: Two researchers individually screened the key information for each eligible study and evaluated the quality of the studies. Any dispute will be discussed by a third researcher.Results: Compared with conventional therapy, Exercise therapy significantly reduced pain scores (mean difference: -0.53, 95% CI: -0.82 to -0.24, P < 0.001) and improved muscle strength (flexion: 13.76, extension: 12.46) and knee function (effect size: 2.06, P = 0.001). Secondary outcomes, though less pronounced, also demonstrated improvement.The sources of heterogeneity among included studies were not fully identified, particularly concerning variations in exercise protocols or patient characteristics. Additionally, the therapeutic effects of specific exercise modalities (e.g., strength training versus aquatic training) were not directly compared.Exercise therapy is effective in reducing pain, enhancing muscle strength, and improving knee function in ACL surgery patients. These findings underscore the importance of integrating tailored exercise therapies into rehabilitation programs.

    Keywords: Exercise Therapy, Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction, Anterior cruciate ligament injuries, Kinesiotherapy OA Osteoarthritis HT Hamstring Tendon WBVT Whole-body Vibration Training BFRT Blood Flow Restriction Training, Anterior Cruciate Ligament

    Received: 25 Sep 2024; Accepted: 06 Jan 2025.

    Copyright: © 2025 Zhou, Qian, Xing, Cui and Bu. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Yi-Feng Bu, Jiangsu Normal University, Xuzhou, China

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.