Dynamic Perturbation Training System for ACL Rehabilitation

描述(由申请人提供)：前十字韧带(ACL)损伤是运动员，特别是女性运动员的一个重大问题。手术和非手术治疗都有选择，最终目标是恢复关节稳定性、膝关节运动学和股四头肌力量，与未受伤的对侧肢体相比，允许完全恢复功能和活动水平，并防止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，对于前交叉韧带缺陷和前交叉韧带重建的人群，支撑表面训练的扰动对改善动态膝关节稳定性具有临床相关性，特别是在女性。临床上可用的提供所需扰动的方法目前仅限于由理疗师手动推或拉的静态平衡板。这些扰动可能不会模拟在行走或跑步过程中发生的真实扰动。该Fast Track 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-Sports“，用于提供特定任务、神经肌肉和动态扰动训练，以改善保守和手术治疗前交叉韧带损伤(ACL)的结果，特别是年轻运动员和女性。

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.