Effect of Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction on the Passé Movement in Elite Dancers

Abstract

Semitendinosus-gracilis (STG) and patella-tendon-bone (PTB) are frequently selected grafts for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction in dancers. While STG and PTB grafts appear to be similar in restoring acceptable mechanical joint stability, it is not known whether there are alterations in the kinematics of dance movements following these procedures. The present study examined two-dimensional kinematics of trunk-lower extremity coordination in 18 adult professional dancers: six dancers with STG, six with PTB graft ACL reconstruction, and six healthy controls. All dancers with ACL reconstruction had returned to full dancing and performance with no visible asymmetries in their dancing. We examined whether temporal organization and peak velocity of the gesture limb differed between dancers with STG and PTB graft reconstruction and controls when performing the passé. Hip and knee peak angular velocities were slower on the involved limb of STG and PTB dancers compared to controls. Adaptations were seen bilaterally in delayed movement times, shorter deceleration times, and greater number of movement units in the ACL reconstruction groups. These findings suggest that injury to a single joint can affect kinematics throughout the involved and uninvolved lower extremities. The altered movement patterns found in dancers with both types of ACL reconstruction suggest that their control of complex movements may be adaptive in nature.