ReviewJournal of experimental orthopaedics2025
Strengthening exercises improve knee muscle strength and performance but not pain in ACL-reconstructed individuals: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials.
Review in Journal of experimental orthopaedics, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled 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.
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.
Who cites it
6 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Effects of conservative interventions on plantar pressure in individuals with flat foot: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Scientific reports · 2026Pooled it
- Effectiveness of strength-oriented rehabilitation interventions as a non-pharmacologic rehabilitation strategy for knee function after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: a three-level meta-analysis.Frontiers in medicine · 2026Pooled it
- Biofeedback Modalities Targeting Kyphosis and Lordosis: A Critical Appraisal Topic.BioMed research international · 2026Pooled it
- Core stability versus postural control training for pain, disability, and sensorimotor function in chronic non-specific low back pain.Scientific reports · 2026Trial
- Effects of accelerated rehabilitation after ACL reconstruction on clinical and functional outcomes: A systematic review and meta-analysis evaluating clinical meaningfulness.Journal of experimental orthopaedics · 2026Review
- Strengthening exercises improve knee muscle strength and performance but not pain in ACL-reconstructed individuals: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials.Journal of experimental orthopaedics · 2025Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Purpose: Deficits in quadriceps and hamstring strength, functional performance and pain are common after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR). The role of strengthening exercises (SE) in addressing these outcomes remains uncertain. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the effects of SE on quadriceps and hamstring strength, functional performance and pain in individuals after primary ACLR. Methods: Four databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus and Embase) were searched from inception to July 2025. Eligibility criteria included randomised controlled trials (RCTs) on adults with ACLR evaluating SE versus conventional rehabilitation. Data extraction followed PRISMA 2020 guidelines. The risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane PEDro scale. Random-effects models were used to calculate standardised mean differences (SMD) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Heterogeneity was assessed with Results: Nineteen RCTs ( Conclusions: SE significantly enhances knee strength and functional performance in individuals with ACLR, although their effects on pain remain unclear. Clinically, incorporating SE into rehabilitation protocols is recommended to improve recovery outcomes, accelerate return to sport (RTS) and enhance readiness. Further studies are warranted to clarify their impact on pain management. Level of Evidence: Level I.
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Registered trials
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.