PROPRIOCEPTION, BODY BALANCE AND FUNCTIONALITY IN INDIVIDUALS WITH ACL RECONSTRUCTION

OBJECTIVE: : To evaluate and compare proprioception, body balance and knee functionality of individuals with or without unilateral anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. METHODS: : Forty individuals were divided in two groups: Experimental group, 20 individuals with ACL reconstruction at six months postoperative, and control group, 20 individuals with no history of lower limb pathologies. In the experimental group, we assessed lower limbs with reconstructed ACL and contralateral limb; in the control group the dominant and the non-dominant lower limbs were assessed. All subjects were submitted to joint position sense test to evaluate proprioception, postural control measure in single-limb, and step up and down (SUD) test for functional assessment. RESULTS: : There were no deficits in proprioception and postural control. In the SUD test, a 5% decrease in lift up force was found in reconstructed ACL lower limbs, however, a statistically not significant difference. The impact and step down force during the course of test were 30% greater in anatomic ACL than in control lower limbs. CONCLUSION: : The individuals with ACL reconstruction at six months postoperative did not show changes in proprioception and postural control, but showed motor control changes, influencing knee functionality. Level of Evidence IV, Prognostic Studies.