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Browsing EM - ESSEM - Fisioterapia by Subject "ACL deficiency"
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- Gait variability in anterior cruciate ligament injured athletes compared to healthy controlsPublication . Pinto, Ana Costa; Vaz, João Pedro Casaca de RochaBackground: Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries affect gait variability, motor control, and adaptability. This study examines stride-to-stride gait fluctuations in athletes with and without ACL injuries, focusing on variability as a marker of adaptability. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 15 ACL-deficient athletes and 12 healthy controls. Participants performed a 12-minute split-belt treadmill walking task, and gait variability was analyzed using Detrended Fluctuation Analysis (α-ISIs). Results: ACL-deficient athletes showed significantly lower α-ISIs values (0.78 ± 0.08) than healthy controls (0.85 ± 0.084, p = 0.045), indicating reduced gait complexity. No significant differences were found in the coefficient of variation (CV), and kinesiophobia showed a weak correlation with gait variability. Conclusions: This study demonstrated that individuals with ACL deficiency exhibit reduced gait complexity, characterized by increased randomness in variability patterns. The findings suggest that ACL deficiency impairs neuromuscular regulation, leading to compensatory gait adaptations. Despite stable variability magnitude, its temporal organization was significantly altered. These results emphasize the importance of gait complexity as a key marker for motor adaptability in ACL-deficient individuals.