Femoral Nerve Block after Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction

30 patients scheduled for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction were randomized to either receive or not receive a femoral nerve block for postoperative analgesia. The purpose of this study was to compare isokinetic quadriceps strength – relative to the healthy knee (limb symmetry index) – and patient-reported outcome on the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) between groups at 6 weeks and 6 months postoperatively. The results on quadriceps strength demonstrated a significant difference between groups in limb symmetry of isokinetic quadriceps strength, with significantly lower strength in the operated versus healthy knee in the FNB group compared to the control group.