Effectiveness of transcutaneous and percutaneous electrical nerve stimulation as adjunct therapies in patients after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Abstract

[EN]Background/Objectives: Quadriceps arthrogenic muscle inhibition (AMI) represents a key impairment following anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR), contributing to quadriceps weakness. Although transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) and percutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (PENS) have been primarily investigated for analgesia, their effects on quadriceps strength in the early postoperative period remain underexplored. Methods: This study describes a single-blinded, parallel-group randomized controlled trial investigating the short-term effects of a single high-frequency TENS session and a novel long-term potentiation (LTP) PENS protocol on quadriceps strength and related clinical outcomes after ACLR. Fifty-four participants will be randomly allocated using block randomization in a 1:1:1 ratio to one of three groups: a control group (conventional post-ACLR rehabilitation only), a TENS group (conventional rehabilitation plus a single high-frequency TENS session), or a PENS group (conventional rehabilitation plus a single LTP PENS session). Participants will receive neuromodulatory intervention during the sixth postoperative week. The LTP PENS protocol consists of five 5 s stimulation bursts at 100 Hz and 250 μs pulse width and has only been investigated once in patients with upper limb pathology, underscoring its novelty in a postoperative setting. Results: The primary outcome is quadriceps maximal voluntary isometric contraction, selected as a clinically relevant surrogate of quadriceps activation deficits associated with AMI. Secondary outcomes include pain intensity, pressure pain threshold, knee range of motion, thigh muscle perimeter, knee effusion and swelling, and self-reported function and knee-related quality of life. Outcomes will be assessed at baseline, immediately post-treatment, and 1 and 7 days post-intervention by a blinded assessor.