Dry needling with electrical stimulation in the post-ACL reconstruction management of a female basketball athlete with persistent quadriceps palsy: A case report

Abstract

Background and Purpose: Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injury is common in sports.1 Well-developed protocols on post-surgical management do not address all potential complications. Our purpose is to determine the effectiveness of dry needling with electrical stimulation (DNES) to address persistent quadriceps palsy (PQP) post ACL reconstruction (ACLR). Methods: A 16-year-old female basketball athlete post-ACLR with quadriceps tendon graft followed the Baylor ACLR Accelerated Protocol with appropriate modifications. DNES to the quadriceps began at post-op week 15 for PQP. Findings: The Lower Extremity Functional Scale (LEFS), knee ROM, MMTs, and circumferential measurements were tracked. All surpassed significant values. Clinical Relevance: When neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) is ineffective for PQP, DNES offers an alternative intervention strategy for increasing maximal voluntary contraction. Conclusion: Data suggest improvement in outcome measures and may promote voluntary muscle contraction of the quadriceps. Further research is required for optimal protocols. Keywords: Neuromuscular control, voluntary contraction