Study Summary

Twenty-seven patients with anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction were randomized to receive intermittent vibrational stimulation (IVS) or a sham device. The primary outcome of interest was knee sagittal plane kinematics (minimum and peak knee flexion) during walking and stair ambulation. Secondary outcomes included hip and ankle sagittal kinematics. Outcomes were assessed at baseline and immediately during the intervention phase. Overall, the results of the study revealed that the IVS group demonstrated significantly greater improvements in minimum knee flexion during walking compared to the sham group, with consistent within-group increases across walking speeds and stair ascent. These findings suggest that IVS can modify knee kinematics and may serve as a useful addition in early ACL reconstruction rehabilitation.