Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction (ACLR)NCT07922785
Stair Biomechanics and Vibration Study After ACLR
A study testing Whole-body Vibration and Local Muscle Vibraton in people with Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction (ACLR) and Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury, run by University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
This study examines how people who have had anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) move their legs during walking and stair negotiation, and whether a single session of vibration changes how they ascend and descend stairs. Participants with ACLR (1 to 3 years after surgery) complete three laboratory visits. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 39 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction (ACLR), Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury
- What is being tested?
- Whole-body Vibration and Local Muscle Vibraton
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 52 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 1 Nov 2026to 1 Nov 2028
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 to 39 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult
Who may be able to join
- Age 18 to 39 years
- Able to read, understand, and communicate in English sufficiently to provide informed consent and follow instructions
- Primary, unilateral ACL reconstruction with patellar tendon autograft
- 1 to 3 years after ACL reconstruction
- Cleared by surgeon to return to unrestricted physical activity
- Returned to unrestricted walking, stair negotiation, and hopping activities
Show all 9Show fewer
- No history of ACL injury or knee surgery
- No history of major lower extremity injury (requiring surgery or more than 3 weeks of medical treatment)
- Matched to an ACLR participant by sex, age (within 3 years), and Tegner activity level (within 1 level)
Who cannot join
- History of ACL injury to the opposite leg
- History of any knee surgery other than ACL reconstruction
- Diagnosis of osteoarthritis in any joint in either leg
- Major lower extremity injury (requiring surgery or more than 3 weeks of medical treatment) in the previous 6 months
- History of neurological disorder (e.g., stroke, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis)
- Currently pregnant
Show all 10Show fewer
- Diagnosis of osteoarthritis in any joint in either leg
- Major lower extremity injury in the previous 6 months
- History of neurological disorder (e.g., stroke, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis)
- Currently pregnant
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
Troy Blackburn, PhD contact
United States1 site
Motion Analysis Laboratory, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 27599
Sansung Hwang, MS, 984-291-4830, sansungh@unc.edu
Troy Blackburn, PhD, troyb@unc.edu
About this study
Official title: Lower Extremity Biomechanics During Gait and Stair Negotiation and Effects of Vibratory Stimuli Following ACL Reconstruction
This study examines how people who have had anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) move their legs during walking and stair negotiation, and whether a single session of vibration changes how they ascend and descend stairs.
Participants with ACLR (1 to 3 years after surgery) complete three laboratory visits. At the first visit, they complete walking, stair negotiation, muscle strength, hopping tests, and questionnaires, and stair negotiation is measured before and after a control condition without vibration. At the second and third visits, they receive whole-body vibration (standing on a vibrating platform) or local muscle vibration (a device placed over the thigh muscle) in a counterbalanced order, and stair negotiation is measured before and after each vibration session. Healthy participants matched by sex, age, and activity level complete one visit with the same tests as the first ACLR visit, for comparison.
Read the detailed description
Individuals with ACLR commonly show altered lower extremity biomechanics and quadriceps dysfunction that may contribute to the development of knee osteoarthritis. Stair negotiation places greater demands on the knee than level walking, yet findings on stair biomechanics after ACLR are inconsistent. Whole-body vibration (WBV) and local muscle vibration (LMV) acutely improve quadriceps function and gait biomechanics after ACLR, but their effects on stair biomechanics are unknown.
Aims: 1. to compare lower extremity biomechanics during gait, stair ascent, and stair descent between individuals 1 to 3 years after ACLR and matched healthy controls; 2. to determine inter-limb differences in biomechanics during gait and stair negotiation within individuals with ACLR; 3. to evaluate the acute effects of WBV and LMV on stair ascent and descent biomechanics in individuals with ACLR compared with a control condition.
Design: a case-control comparison nested within a single-blind, repeated-measures crossover design. ACLR participants complete three visits separated by at least 48 hours. Visit 1 is a baseline session with stair biomechanics assessed before and after a control condition (no vibration), plus gait biomechanics, isometric quadriceps and hamstring strength, single-leg and triple hop tests, and patient-reported outcomes. At visits 2 and 3, participants receive WBV and LMV in counterbalanced order, with stair biomechanics assessed immediately before and after the intervention. For all conditions, participants hold a squatted position (approximately 60 degrees of knee flexion) for 1 minute, repeated 6 times with 2 minutes of rest. WBV is delivered via a vibrating platform (30 Hz, 2 g). The control condition uses the same posture and timing without vibration. Healthy controls complete one visit identical to ACLR visit 1.
Biomechanics are collected with 3D motion capture synchronized with force plates under the second and third steps of an instrumented staircase. The data collector and outcome assessor are blinded to the vibration condition, which is administered by a separate research assistant.
- Being tested
- Whole-body Vibration, Local Muscle Vibraton, Control condition
- Keywords
- Whole-body vibration, Local muscle vibration, Stair ascent, Stair descent, Gait biomechanics, Inter-limb asymmetry
- Medical subject headings
- Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Whole-body VibrationOther
Also called WBV
Standing on a vibrating platform (Power Plate Pro 5) in a squatted position (approximately 60 degrees of knee flexion), 30 Hz, 2 g, 1 minute x 6 exposures with 2 minutes of rest.
Local Muscle VibratonOther
Also called LMV
A vibration device secured over the quadriceps muscle belly while standing in the same squatted position on the deactivated platform, 30 Hz, 2 g, 1 minute x 6 exposures with 2 minutes of rest.
Control conditionOther
Same squatted position and timing (1 minute x 6 exposures with 2 minutes of rest) without vibration.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| ACLR: WBV then LMV | Experimental | Visit 1 control condition; Visit 2 whole-body vibration; Visit 3 local muscle vibration (at least 48 hours apart) Receives: Other: Whole-body Vibration; Other: Local Muscle Vibraton; Other: Control condition |
| ACLR: LMV then WBV | Experimental | Visit 1 control condition; Visit 2 local muscle vibration; Visit 3 whole-body vibration (at least 48 hours apart) Receives: Other: Whole-body Vibration; Other: Local Muscle Vibraton; Other: Control condition |
| Healthy controls | Other | Single visit with the control condition; matched to ACLR participants by sex, age, (within 3 years), and Tegner activity level (within 1 level). Receives: Other: Control condition |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Peak Hip Flexion Angle
Maximum hip flexion angle during stance (degrees). Measured with 3D motion capture and force plates during the stance phase of preferred-speed overground gait, stair ascent, and stair descent (5 trials per task, averaged), in both limbs of participants with ACLR and healthy controls.
Measured: Gait: visit 1. Stair ascent and descent: visit 1 before and after the control condition, and visits 2 and 3 immediately before and after vibration (visits at least 48 hours apart, within about 2 weeks).
Peak Knee Flexion Angle
Maximum hip flexion angle during stance (degrees). Measured with 3D motion capture and force plates during the stance phase of preferred-speed overground gait, stair ascent, and stair descent (5 trials per task, averaged), in both limbs of participants with ACLR and healthy controls.
Measured: Gait: visit 1. Stair ascent and descent: visit 1 before and after the control condition, and visits 2 and 3 immediately before and after vibration (visits at least 48 hours apart, within about 2 weeks).
Peak Ankle Flexion Angle
Maximum ankle dorsiflexion angle during stance (degrees). Measured with 3D motion capture and force plates during the stance phase of preferred-speed overground gait, stair ascent, and stair descent (5 trials per task, averaged), in both limbs of participants with ACLR and healthy controls.
Measured: Gait: visit 1. Stair ascent and descent: visit 1 before and after the control condition, and visits 2 and 3 immediately before and after vibration (visits at least 48 hours apart, within about 2 weeks).
Knee Valgus Angle
Peak knee valgus (abduction) angle during stance (degrees). Measured with 3D motion capture and force plates during the stance phase of preferred-speed overground gait, stair ascent, and stair descent (5 trials per task, averaged), in both limbs of participants with ACLR and healthy controls.
Measured: Gait: visit 1. Stair ascent and descent: visit 1 before and after the control condition, and visits 2 and 3 immediately before and after vibration (visits at least 48 hours apart, within about 2 weeks).
Knee Flexion Displacement
Change in knee flexion angle from initial contact to peak knee flexion during stance (degrees). Measured with 3D motion capture and force plates during the stance phase of preferred-speed overground gait, stair ascent, and stair descent (5 trials per task, averaged), in both limbs of participants with ACLR and healthy controls.
Measured: Gait: visit 1. Stair ascent and descent: visit 1 before and after the control condition, and visits 2 and 3 immediately before and after vibration (visits at least 48 hours apart, within about 2 weeks).
Sagittal Plane Knee Moment
Peak internal knee extension moment during stance, normalized to body weight x height. Measured with 3D motion capture and force plates during the stance phase of preferred-speed overground gait, stair ascent, and stair descent (5 trials per task, averaged), in both limbs of participants with ACLR and healthy controls.
Measured: Gait: visit 1. Stair ascent and descent: visit 1 before and after the control condition, and visits 2 and 3 immediately before and after vibration (visits at least 48 hours apart, within about 2 weeks).
Frontal Plane Knee Moment
Peak internal knee abduction moment (equivalent to the external knee adduction moment) during stance, normalized to body weight x height. Measured with 3D motion capture and force plates during the stance phase of preferred-speed overground gait, stair ascent, and stair descent (5 trials per task, averaged), in both limbs of participants with ACLR and healthy controls.
Measured: Gait: visit 1. Stair ascent and descent: visit 1 before and after the control condition, and visits 2 and 3 immediately before and after vibration (visits at least 48 hours apart, within about 2 weeks).
Peak Vertical Ground Reaction Force
Peak vertical ground reaction force during stance, normalized to body weight (xBW). Measured with 3D motion capture and force plates during the stance phase of preferred-speed overground gait, stair ascent, and stair descent (5 trials per task, averaged), in both limbs of participants with ACLR and healthy controls.
Measured: Gait: visit 1. Stair ascent and descent: visit 1 before and after the control condition, and visits 2 and 3 immediately before and after vibration (visits at least 48 hours apart, within about 2 weeks).
Anterior Tibial Shear Force
Peak anterior tibial shear force during stance, normalized to body weight (xBW). Measured with 3D motion capture and force plates during the stance phase of preferred-speed overground gait, stair ascent, and stair descent (5 trials per task, averaged), in both limbs of participants with ACLR and healthy controls.
Measured: Gait: visit 1. Stair ascent and descent: visit 1 before and after the control condition, and visits 2 and 3 immediately before and after vibration (visits at least 48 hours apart, within about 2 weeks).
Isometric Quadriceps Peak Torque
Maximal voluntary isometric knee extension torque measured on an isokinetic dynamometer (knee flexed 90 degrees, hip flexed 85 degrees); mean of 3 contractions per limb, normalized to body mass (Nm/kg).
Measured: Visit 1 (baseline)
Isometric Hamstring Peak Torque
Maximal voluntary isometric knee flexion torque measured on an isokinetic dynamometer (knee flexed 90 degrees, hip flexed 85 degrees); mean of 3 contractions per limb, normalized to body mass (Nm/kg).
Measured: Visit 1 (baseline)
Quadriceps Rate of Torque Development
Rate of torque development during maximal voluntary isometric knee extension contractions; mean of 3 contractions per limb, normalized to body mass (Nm/kg/s).
Measured: Visit 1 (baseline)
Hamstring Rate of Torque Development
Rate of torque development during maximal voluntary isometric knee flexion contractions; mean of 3 contractions per limb, normalized to body mass (Nm/kg/s).
Measured: Visit 1 (baseline)
Single-Leg Hop for Distance
Distance hopped on one leg, measured from the take-off line to the landing point of the heel; mean of 3 successful trials per limb (cm).
Measured: Visit 1 (baseline)
Triple Hop for Distance
Distance covered in three consecutive hops on one leg, measured from the take-off line to the landing point of the heel; mean of 3 successful trials per limb (cm).
Measured: Visit 1 (baseline)
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted6 Nov 2026
- Study start1 Nov 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completion1 Nov 2028 (estimated)
- Study completion1 Nov 2028 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (4)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction (ACLR)Studies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by University of North Carolina, Chapel HillThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Basic science
- Allocation
- Non-randomised
- Intervention model
- Crossover
- Model description
- Participants with ACLR receive a control condition (no vibration) at visit 1, then whole-body vibration (WBV) and local muscle vibration (LMV) at visits 2 and 3 in counterbalanced order (randomly assigned to WBV the LMV, or LMV then WBV), with visits at least 48 hours apart. Healthy controls matched by sex, age, and activity level complete a single visit with the control condition and serve as a comparison group for baseline biomechanics.
- Masking
- Single blind
- Who is masked
- Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 52 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
- Investigators
- Sansung Hwang, MS, Principal investigator, University of North Carolina, Chapel HillTroy Blackburn, PhD, Study chair, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07922785
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 26-0478
- Other IDs
- 26-SRC049
- Status last verified
- Oct 2026
- First submitted
- 2 Nov 2026
- Last updated
- 6 Nov 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No: Individual participant data will not be shared outside the research team. Study results will be reported in aggregate in publications and presentations, and the informed consent does not include provisions for sharing individual-level data with other researchers or public repositories.
Publications
Pamukoff DN, Pietrosimone B, Ryan ED, Lee DR, Brown LE, Blackburn JT. Whole-Body Vibration Improves Early Rate of Torque Development in Individuals With Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction. J Strength Cond Res. 2017 Nov;31(11):2992-3000. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000001740.
PubMed 27930453Pamukoff DN, Pietrosimone B, Lewek MD, Ryan ED, Weinhold PS, Lee DR, Blackburn JT. Whole-Body and Local Muscle Vibration Immediately Improve Quadriceps Function in Individuals With Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2016 Jul;97(7):1121-9. doi: 10.1016/j.apmr.2016.01.021. Epub 2016 Feb 8.
PubMed 26869286Troy Blackburn J, Dewig DR, Johnston CD. Time course of the effects of vibration on quadriceps function in individuals with anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. J Electromyogr Kinesiol. 2021 Feb;56:102508. doi: 10.1016/j.jelekin.2020.102508. Epub 2020 Nov 28.
PubMed 33302006Blackburn T, Padua DA, Pietrosimone B, Schwartz TA, Spang JT, Goodwin JS, Dewig DR, Johnston CD. Vibration improves gait biomechanics linked to posttraumatic knee osteoarthritis following anterior cruciate ligament injury. J Orthop Res. 2021 May;39(5):1113-1122. doi: 10.1002/jor.24821. Epub 2020 Aug 12.
PubMed 32757272
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 6 Nov 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Lower Extremity Biomechanics During Gait and Stair Negotiation and Effects of Vibratory Stimuli Following ACL Reconstruction
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07922785
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- 26-0478
- Keywords
- Whole-body vibration, Local muscle vibration, Stair ascent, Stair descent, Gait biomechanics, Inter-limb asymmetry
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Not yet recruiting
- Enrolment
- 52 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- University of North Carolina, Chapel HillUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 1 Nov 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completion
- 1 Nov 2028 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 1 Nov 2028 (estimated)
- First posted
- 6 Nov 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
This study examines how people who have had anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) move their legs during walking and stair negotiation, and whether a single session of vibration changes how they ascend and descend stairs.
Participants with ACLR (1 to 3 years after surgery) complete three laboratory visits. At the first visit, they complete walking, stair negotiation, muscle strength, hopping tests, and questionnaires, and stair negotiation is measured before and after a control condition without vibration. At the second and third visits, they receive whole-body vibration (standing on a vibrating platform) or local muscle vibration (a device placed over the thigh muscle) in a counterbalanced order, and stair negotiation is measured before and after each vibration session. Healthy participants matched by sex, age, and activity level complete one visit with the same tests as the first ACLR visit, for comparison.
Detailed description
Individuals with ACLR commonly show altered lower extremity biomechanics and quadriceps dysfunction that may contribute to the development of knee osteoarthritis. Stair negotiation places greater demands on the knee than level walking, yet findings on stair biomechanics after ACLR are inconsistent. Whole-body vibration (WBV) and local muscle vibration (LMV) acutely improve quadriceps function and gait biomechanics after ACLR, but their effects on stair biomechanics are unknown.
Aims: 1. to compare lower extremity biomechanics during gait, stair ascent, and stair descent between individuals 1 to 3 years after ACLR and matched healthy controls; 2. to determine inter-limb differences in biomechanics during gait and stair negotiation within individuals with ACLR; 3. to evaluate the acute effects of WBV and LMV on stair ascent and descent biomechanics in individuals with ACLR compared with a control condition.
Design: a case-control comparison nested within a single-blind, repeated-measures crossover design. ACLR participants complete three visits separated by at least 48 hours. Visit 1 is a baseline session with stair biomechanics assessed before and after a control condition (no vibration), plus gait biomechanics, isometric quadriceps and hamstring strength, single-leg and triple hop tests, and patient-reported outcomes. At visits 2 and 3, participants receive WBV and LMV in counterbalanced order, with stair biomechanics assessed immediately before and after the intervention. For all conditions, participants hold a squatted position (approximately 60 degrees of knee flexion) for 1 minute, repeated 6 times with 2 minutes of rest. WBV is delivered via a vibrating platform (30 Hz, 2 g). The control condition uses the same posture and timing without vibration. Healthy controls complete one visit identical to ACLR visit 1.
Biomechanics are collected with 3D motion capture synchronized with force plates under the second and third steps of an instrumented staircase. The data collector and outcome assessor are blinded to the vibration condition, which is administered by a separate research assistant.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Basic science
- Allocation
- Non-randomised
- Intervention model
- Crossover
- Masking
- Single blind (outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 3
- Model description
- Participants with ACLR receive a control condition (no vibration) at visit 1, then whole-body vibration (WBV) and local muscle vibration (LMV) at visits 2 and 3 in counterbalanced order (randomly assigned to WBV the LMV, or LMV then WBV), with visits at least 48 hours apart. Healthy controls matched by sex, age, and activity level complete a single visit with the control condition and serve as a comparison group for baseline biomechanics.
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| ACLR: WBV then LMV | Experimental | Other: Whole-body Vibration, Other: Local Muscle Vibraton, Other: Control conditionVisit 1 control condition; Visit 2 whole-body vibration; Visit 3 local muscle vibration (at least 48 hours apart) |
| ACLR: LMV then WBV | Experimental | Other: Whole-body Vibration, Other: Local Muscle Vibraton, Other: Control conditionVisit 1 control condition; Visit 2 local muscle vibration; Visit 3 whole-body vibration (at least 48 hours apart) |
| Healthy controls | Other | Other: Control conditionSingle visit with the control condition; matched to ACLR participants by sex, age, (within 3 years), and Tegner activity level (within 1 level). |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 39 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult
Key inclusion criteria (9 listed)
- Age 18 to 39 years
- Able to read, understand, and communicate in English sufficiently to provide informed consent and follow instructions
- Primary, unilateral ACL reconstruction with patellar tendon autograft
- 1 to 3 years after ACL reconstruction
- Cleared by surgeon to return to unrestricted physical activity
Key exclusion criteria (10 listed)
- History of ACL injury to the opposite leg
- History of any knee surgery other than ACL reconstruction
- Diagnosis of osteoarthritis in any joint in either leg
- Major lower extremity injury (requiring surgery or more than 3 weeks of medical treatment) in the previous 6 months
- History of neurological disorder (e.g., stroke, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis)
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Whole-body VibrationAlso: WBVStanding on a vibrating platform (Power Plate Pro 5) in a squatted position (approximately 60 degrees of knee flexion), 30 Hz, 2 g, 1 minute x 6 exposures with 2 minutes of rest. | Other | ACLR: LMV then WBV, ACLR: WBV then LMV |
| Local Muscle VibratonAlso: LMVA vibration device secured over the quadriceps muscle belly while standing in the same squatted position on the deactivated platform, 30 Hz, 2 g, 1 minute x 6 exposures with 2 minutes of rest. | Other | ACLR: LMV then WBV, ACLR: WBV then LMV |
| Control conditionSame squatted position and timing (1 minute x 6 exposures with 2 minutes of rest) without vibration. | Other | ACLR: LMV then WBV, ACLR: WBV then LMV, Healthy controls |
Primary outcome
Peak Hip Flexion Angle
Time frame: Gait: visit 1. Stair ascent and descent: visit 1 before and after the control condition, and visits 2 and 3 immediately before and after vibration (visits at least 48 hours apart, within about 2 weeks).
Maximum hip flexion angle during stance (degrees). Measured with 3D motion capture and force plates during the stance phase of preferred-speed overground gait, stair ascent, and stair descent (5 trials per task, averaged), in both limbs of participants with ACLR and healthy controls.
Peak Knee Flexion Angle
Time frame: Gait: visit 1. Stair ascent and descent: visit 1 before and after the control condition, and visits 2 and 3 immediately before and after vibration (visits at least 48 hours apart, within about 2 weeks).
Maximum hip flexion angle during stance (degrees). Measured with 3D motion capture and force plates during the stance phase of preferred-speed overground gait, stair ascent, and stair descent (5 trials per task, averaged), in both limbs of participants with ACLR and healthy controls.
Peak Ankle Flexion Angle
Time frame: Gait: visit 1. Stair ascent and descent: visit 1 before and after the control condition, and visits 2 and 3 immediately before and after vibration (visits at least 48 hours apart, within about 2 weeks).
Maximum ankle dorsiflexion angle during stance (degrees). Measured with 3D motion capture and force plates during the stance phase of preferred-speed overground gait, stair ascent, and stair descent (5 trials per task, averaged), in both limbs of participants with ACLR and healthy controls.
Knee Valgus Angle
Time frame: Gait: visit 1. Stair ascent and descent: visit 1 before and after the control condition, and visits 2 and 3 immediately before and after vibration (visits at least 48 hours apart, within about 2 weeks).
Peak knee valgus (abduction) angle during stance (degrees). Measured with 3D motion capture and force plates during the stance phase of preferred-speed overground gait, stair ascent, and stair descent (5 trials per task, averaged), in both limbs of participants with ACLR and healthy controls.
Knee Flexion Displacement
Time frame: Gait: visit 1. Stair ascent and descent: visit 1 before and after the control condition, and visits 2 and 3 immediately before and after vibration (visits at least 48 hours apart, within about 2 weeks).
Change in knee flexion angle from initial contact to peak knee flexion during stance (degrees). Measured with 3D motion capture and force plates during the stance phase of preferred-speed overground gait, stair ascent, and stair descent (5 trials per task, averaged), in both limbs of participants with ACLR and healthy controls.
Sagittal Plane Knee Moment
Time frame: Gait: visit 1. Stair ascent and descent: visit 1 before and after the control condition, and visits 2 and 3 immediately before and after vibration (visits at least 48 hours apart, within about 2 weeks).
Peak internal knee extension moment during stance, normalized to body weight x height. Measured with 3D motion capture and force plates during the stance phase of preferred-speed overground gait, stair ascent, and stair descent (5 trials per task, averaged), in both limbs of participants with ACLR and healthy controls.
Frontal Plane Knee Moment
Time frame: Gait: visit 1. Stair ascent and descent: visit 1 before and after the control condition, and visits 2 and 3 immediately before and after vibration (visits at least 48 hours apart, within about 2 weeks).
Peak internal knee abduction moment (equivalent to the external knee adduction moment) during stance, normalized to body weight x height. Measured with 3D motion capture and force plates during the stance phase of preferred-speed overground gait, stair ascent, and stair descent (5 trials per task, averaged), in both limbs of participants with ACLR and healthy controls.
Peak Vertical Ground Reaction Force
Time frame: Gait: visit 1. Stair ascent and descent: visit 1 before and after the control condition, and visits 2 and 3 immediately before and after vibration (visits at least 48 hours apart, within about 2 weeks).
Peak vertical ground reaction force during stance, normalized to body weight (xBW). Measured with 3D motion capture and force plates during the stance phase of preferred-speed overground gait, stair ascent, and stair descent (5 trials per task, averaged), in both limbs of participants with ACLR and healthy controls.
Anterior Tibial Shear Force
Time frame: Gait: visit 1. Stair ascent and descent: visit 1 before and after the control condition, and visits 2 and 3 immediately before and after vibration (visits at least 48 hours apart, within about 2 weeks).
Peak anterior tibial shear force during stance, normalized to body weight (xBW). Measured with 3D motion capture and force plates during the stance phase of preferred-speed overground gait, stair ascent, and stair descent (5 trials per task, averaged), in both limbs of participants with ACLR and healthy controls.
Isometric Quadriceps Peak Torque
Time frame: Visit 1 (baseline)
Maximal voluntary isometric knee extension torque measured on an isokinetic dynamometer (knee flexed 90 degrees, hip flexed 85 degrees); mean of 3 contractions per limb, normalized to body mass (Nm/kg).
Isometric Hamstring Peak Torque
Time frame: Visit 1 (baseline)
Maximal voluntary isometric knee flexion torque measured on an isokinetic dynamometer (knee flexed 90 degrees, hip flexed 85 degrees); mean of 3 contractions per limb, normalized to body mass (Nm/kg).
Quadriceps Rate of Torque Development
Time frame: Visit 1 (baseline)
Rate of torque development during maximal voluntary isometric knee extension contractions; mean of 3 contractions per limb, normalized to body mass (Nm/kg/s).
Hamstring Rate of Torque Development
Time frame: Visit 1 (baseline)
Rate of torque development during maximal voluntary isometric knee flexion contractions; mean of 3 contractions per limb, normalized to body mass (Nm/kg/s).
Single-Leg Hop for Distance
Time frame: Visit 1 (baseline)
Distance hopped on one leg, measured from the take-off line to the landing point of the heel; mean of 3 successful trials per limb (cm).
Triple Hop for Distance
Time frame: Visit 1 (baseline)
Distance covered in three consecutive hops on one leg, measured from the take-off line to the landing point of the heel; mean of 3 successful trials per limb (cm).
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 6 Nov 2026.
- Background: PubMed 27930453Pamukoff DN, Pietrosimone B, Ryan ED, Lee DR, Brown LE, Blackburn JT. Whole-Body Vibration Improves Early Rate of Torque Development in Individuals With Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction. J Strength Cond Res. 2017 Nov;31(11):2992-3000. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000001740.
- Background: PubMed 26869286Pamukoff DN, Pietrosimone B, Lewek MD, Ryan ED, Weinhold PS, Lee DR, Blackburn JT. Whole-Body and Local Muscle Vibration Immediately Improve Quadriceps Function in Individuals With Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2016 Jul;97(7):1121-9. doi: 10.1016/j.apmr.2016.01.021. Epub 2016 Feb 8.
- Background: PubMed 33302006Troy Blackburn J, Dewig DR, Johnston CD. Time course of the effects of vibration on quadriceps function in individuals with anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. J Electromyogr Kinesiol. 2021 Feb;56:102508. doi: 10.1016/j.jelekin.2020.102508. Epub 2020 Nov 28.
- Background: PubMed 32757272Blackburn T, Padua DA, Pietrosimone B, Schwartz TA, Spang JT, Goodwin JS, Dewig DR, Johnston CD. Vibration improves gait biomechanics linked to posttraumatic knee osteoarthritis following anterior cruciate ligament injury. J Orthop Res. 2021 May;39(5):1113-1122. doi: 10.1002/jor.24821. Epub 2020 Aug 12.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No. Individual participant data will not be shared outside the research team. Study results will be reported in aggregate in publications and presentations, and the informed consent does not include provisions for sharing individual-level data with other researchers or public repositories.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
Troy Blackburn, PhD contact
Sansung Hwang, MS principal investigator
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Troy Blackburn, PhD study chair
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Whole-body Vibration and Local Muscle Vibraton in people with Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction (ACLR) and Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury, run by University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill at 1 site in United States.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 9 inclusion and 10 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: opening soon, as of the sponsor's last update on 6 Nov 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact Sansung Hwang, MS (984-291-4830, sansungh@unc.edu), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Peak Hip Flexion Angle (time frame: Gait: visit 1. Stair ascent and descent: visit 1 before and after the control condition, and visits 2 and 3 immediately before and after vibration (visits at least 48 hours apart, within about 2 weeks).). The study lists 15 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT07922785, which also lists 4 linked publications.
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 6 Nov 2026.