A critical appraisal of “Efficacy of quadriceps vastus medialis dry needling in a rehabilitation protocol after surgical reconstruction of complete anterior cruciate ligament rupture”

Abstract

Tearing of the ACL is one of the more common orthopedic injuries suffered in a year. One of the priorities in the early phases of rehabilitating an ACL after surgery is the recovery of knee range of motion (ROM). Aside from exercise, I was curious to see whether or not manual therapy techniques can be applied to enhance the restoration of ROM. The paper chosen fit my criteria of having some focus on ROM restoration and using a technique besides only exercise as an experimental factor. The paper was very thorough in explaining the condition and intervention they targeted during the introduction. They could have done better with explaining the reasoning for targeting the vastus medialis better. The methods were very detailed and the strongest part of the paper. From the criteria for inclusion/exclusion to the treatment methods for both groups to the statistical analyses, everything was clear. The results were reported in a clear and logical order. The use of visuals, tables, and graphs helped with the understanding of the results as well. The discussion was good regarding explaining the primary outcomes of the study, but left more to be desired for the secondary outcomes. This paper was quite convincing in regards to accelerated rehabilitation, with the only true downside being a slight increase in pain immediately after needling. This treatment can help ease the discomfort with the early stages of ACL reconstruction rehabilitation Because of these benefits, I find this treatment method something that could be beneficial and implemented in future practice, especially was further studies come out about it to increase its efficiency.