This master thesis explored the comparative effectiveness of medical exercise ther-apy (MET) versus traditional physiotherapy (PT) in the rehabilitation of patients’ post-anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACL-R). The study aimed to evaluate the impact of these two rehabilitation approaches on various aspects of recovery, including thigh girth, functional performance, balance, landing mechanics, and low-er limb power.
A randomized controlled trial was conducted with patients after ACL-R, divided into a Control Group (CG) undergoing traditional physiotherapy (PT) and an Intervention Group (IG) receiving both PT and MET. Key parameters which were assessed, in-cluded thigh girth measurements, performance in the Step-Down-Test, Y-Balance-Test (YBT), Landing Error Scoring System (LESS), and the Hop-Test.
This study came to three main results. Firstly, the IG achieved significantly better performance in the LESS-Test compared to the CG (p = .001), which indicates, that MET can potentially enhance movement patterns during high-risk activities and landing mechanics. Secondly, despite that there was no significant interaction effect in the girth measurements, a trend indicates, that MET reduces muscle atrophy and may promote symmetrical muscle development. Lastly, a large effect in the results of the YBT (r = .552) shows, that MET might be more effective in enhancing dynamic balance and proprioception, which concurs with the current studies in the field.
These outcomes suggest that MET might offer a more comprehensive rehabilitation approach after ACL-R.
This thesis enhances the importance of rehabilitation strategies and contributes to the state of knowledge in sports medicine and rehabilitation. It suggests the poten-tial integration of MET elements into standard rehabilitation protocols, advocating for a tailored approach to enhance patient outcomes and reduce the risk of re-injury.