Dynamic Perturbation Training System for ACL Rehabilitation

描述（由申请人提供）：前交叉韧带（ACL）损伤是运动员的一个重大问题，尤其是女性。存在手术和非手术治疗选择，最终目标是与未受伤的对侧肢体相比，恢复关节稳定性、膝关节运动学和股四头肌力量，以允许功能和活动水平完全恢复，并防止对膝关节软骨和半月板的额外损伤，这可能导致骨关节炎（OA）的可能性增加。已发表的研究已经证明了支撑表面训练扰动对ACL缺陷和ACL重建人群的临床相关影响，以改善动态膝关节稳定性，特别是女性。临床上可用的传递所需扰动的方法目前限于由物理治疗师手动推动或拉动的静态平衡板。这些扰动可能不会模拟在步行或跑步期间发生的真实扰动。这个快速SBIR项目的主要目标是开发和验证一种具有成本效益的商业产品，ActiveStep-Sport，用于提供特定任务的神经肌肉动态扰动训练，以改善ACL损伤（ACL）的保守治疗和手术治疗的结果，特别是在年轻运动员和女性中。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries are a significant problem for athletes, and women in particular. Both surgical and non-surgical treatment options exist, with the ultimate goal of regaining joint stability, knee kinematics, and quadriceps strength compared to the uninjured contralateral limb to allow full return of function and activity level and to prevent additional injury to the cartilage and the meniscus in the knee which might lead to an increased likelihood of osteoarthritis (OA). Published research has demonstrated clinically relevant effects of perturbation of support surface training for both ACL-deficient and ACL-reconstructed populations for improving dynamic knee stability, particularly in females. The clinically available methods of delivering the desired perturbations are currently limited to static balance boards that are manually pushed or pulled by the physical therapist. These perturbations may not simulate real-life perturbations that would occur during walking or running. The Principal Objective of this Fast Track SBIR project is to develop and validate a cost-effective commercial product, ActiveStep-Sport", for providing task-specific, neuromuscular, dynamic perturbation training to improve outcomes for both conservative and surgical treatment of ACL injury (ACL), particularly in young athletes and women.