Evidence map›Paper›PMID 28819679›Full record

SynthesisKnee surgery, sports traumatology, arthroscopy : official journal of the ESSKA2018

Neuromuscular electrical stimulation is effective in strengthening the quadriceps muscle after anterior cruciate ligament surgery.

Annette V Hauger, M P Reiman, J M Bjordal, C Sheets, L Ledbetter, A P Goode

Abstract readMeta-AnalysisReview
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Knee surgery, sports traumatology, arthroscopy : official journal of the ESSKA, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 50 papers, 5 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
50citing papers in PubMed, 5 pooled it
4.7field-weighted citation impact, top 5% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

50 citing papers in PubMed, 5 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 104 citations in OpenAlex.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors at 5 institutions in 2 countries.

Annette V HaugerHealth Science, Physical Therapy, Oslo and Akershus University College, Oslo, Norway. annette.vogt.hauger@hioa.no.
M P ReimanDuke University Medical Center, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA.
J M BjordalPhysiotherapy Research Group, Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.
C SheetsDepartment of Physical Therapy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
L LedbetterDuke University Medical Center Library, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA.
A P GoodeDuke University Medical Center, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA.
Duke Medical Center · USDuke University · USOsloMet – Oslo Metropolitan University · NOUniversity of Bergen · NOUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel Hill · US

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeReduced ability to contract the quadriceps muscles is often found immediately following anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) surgery. This can lead to muscle atrophy and decreased function. Application of neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) may be a useful adjunct intervention to ameliorate these deficits following ACL surgery. The purpose of this review was to determine whether NMES in addition to standard physical therapy is superior to standard physical therapy alone in improving quadriceps strength or physical function following ACL surgery.

methodsA computer-assisted literature search was conducted utilizing PubMed, CINAHL, PEDro and Cochrane Library databases for randomized clinical trials where patients after ACL surgery received NMES with the outcome of muscle strength and/or physical function. Random effect models were used to pool summary estimates using standardized mean differences (SMD) for strength outcomes. Physical function outcomes were assessed qualitatively. Methodological quality was assessed from the Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro)-score.

resultsEleven studies met our inclusion criteria; results from six of these were pooled in the meta-analysis showing a statistically significant short-term effect of NMES (4-12 weeks) after surgery compared to standard physical therapy [SMD = 0.73 (95% CI 0.29, 1.16)]. Physical function also improved significantly more in the NMES groups. PEDro scores ranged from 3/10 to 7/10 points.

conclusionNMES in addition to standard physical therapy appears to significantly improve quadriceps strength and physical function in the early post-operative period compared to standard physical therapy alone. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: I.

Indexed as

Electric Stimulation TherapyMuscle StrengthAnterior Cruciate Ligament InjuriesAnterior Cruciate Ligament ReconstructionCombined Modality TherapyHumansPhysical Therapy ModalitiesQuadriceps MuscleTreatment OutcomeACLMuscle strengthNMESPhysical therapyQuadriceps

Identifiers

PMID28819679
OpenAlexW2747313902

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.