Entraînement en endurance à partir du membre inférieur sain chez des footballeurs amateurs opérés de ligamentoplastie de genou

Objective

To examine cardiorespiratory fitness changes in subjects having undergone knee surgery and to assess the benefits of one-leg cycling aerobic training program during the rehabilitation period.

Method

Two groups of 12 patients took part in this study. The control group profited from a five weeks conventional rehabilitation in day hospital without cardiorespiratory training. The second group profited in supplement from a one-leg cycling aerobic training program with the valid leg. The subjects were trained for 21 min, by alternating 3 min at 70% and 3 min at 85% of VO_2peak. They totaled 15 sessions spread over five weeks. The initial evaluation (T1) is carried out the first day of rehabilitation and the final evaluation (T2) at a distance within 35 days. The evaluation consisted in realizing a maximal graded tests starting from the valid leg.

Results

After five weeks of conventional rehabilitation, we record a reduction of peak power output (W_peak), peak oxygen uptake (VO_2peak) and peak minute ventilation (VE_peak), respectively of 11, 12 and 13% for the control group. On the other hand, in T2, the training group has on average identical maximum values and some of them increased (W_peak: +14%; VE_peak: +15%). The first and second ventilatory thresholds appear with higher intensities of exercises.

Conclusion

After knee surgery, conventional rehabilitation does not limit cardiorespiratory deconditioning. One leg cycling appears to be an adapted method to stop the effects of hypoactivity.