Weakness in knee muscles is common following anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) surgery. Many exercises are used to improve knee strength. Recently, the use of specialized blood pressure cuffs that partially reduce blood flow (BFR) has been shown to help muscle growth and increase strength with the use of lighter loads. These may be more comfortable for patients in rehabilitation.

There are no standards in how to best apply this technique in patients following knee surgery. These cuffs are typically worn only on the leg that had surgery, which may lead patients to shift weight to their uninjured limb during standing exercises. This may reduce the effectiveness of the exercises to target these weakened muscles.

This study will compare applying the specialized cuffs to either one or both limbs during the completion of two weight-bearing exercises (barbell squats and dumbbell split squats) in uninjured participants and patients that are three to four months post-ACL reconstruction. Force plates will be used to determine whether the patients shift weight away from the surgical limb. Specialized sensors will measure muscle activity in the knee muscles. Accelerometers will measure joint angles to determine whether BFR to one or both sides impacts weight bearing, muscle activity or exercise technique.

The results of this study will inform clinical guidelines as to how to apply this new technique safely and effectively. These guidelines will be implemented at the Pan Am Clinic to improve outcomes for Manitobans following ACL reconstruction.

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