Pilot Study: RSQ1 increases strength after ACL Reconstruction

This pilot study was executed by three students from the ‘Hogeschool van Arnhem en Nijmegen’ (HAN University of Applied Sciences) in cooperation with different physiotherapy clinics in the region. The main goal of this study was to examine if the addition of electrotherapy (by RSQ1) to the regular rehabilitation protocol after ACL reconstruction, causes a greater increase in strength of the quadriceps muscle within the first 12 weeks of rehabilitation.

As you could see in above mentioned graph, the mean strength of the RSQ1 group (3 participants) was higher in comparison to the control group (3 participants). However, as there weren’t any data available of the strength of these participants before surgery, it’s better to make a comparison between their injured (leg which had surgery) and uninjured leg (as control measurement). This comparison is even more beneficial for the RSQ1 group, as all the participants in the RSQ1 group show a relatively bigger strength after six (61-92% to 45-59%) and twelve weeks (76-103% to 64-78%) in comparison with the control group (see table below).

These results indicates that the addition of the RSQ1 to the regular rehabilitation protocol could support the strength training, especially in the first weeks after the ACL reconstruction. At the same time, we should be careful with such conclusions, as this pilot study exists of only two groups of three participants.

Click here for the full text of this pilot study (at this moment only  available in Dutch): Pilot study RSQ1