Effect of a Cognitive Motor Task on Knee Joint Position Sense after Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction: A Quasi-randomized Controlled Trial

Abstract

[Purpose] To compare the effectiveness of 3 tasks: range-of-motion exercise, mental rotation task, and cognitive motor task, to improve knee joint position sense (JPS) after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction through a quasi-randomized nonblinded controlled trial. [Participants and Methods] Patients admitted to the study hospital for ACL reconstruction within the period between May 2015 and July 2018, excluding those with second ACL tear, contralateral ACL reconstruction, or patellar dislocation, were assigned to one of the 3 task groups, and their knee JPS before and 3-4 weeks after surgery was compared. Each task was added to the rehabilitation protocols used in the study hospital. The duration of each task was 15 minutes/day. [Results] A marked improvement in knee JPS after surgery was observed only in the cognitive motor task group. [Conclusion] The cognitive motor task may improve knee JPS in 3 to 4 weeks after ACL reconstruction.