Vitamin D as an Intervention for Improving Quadricep Muscle Strength in Patients After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction: A Randomized Double-Blinded, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial

Who is this study for? Patients who underwent anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction
What treatments are being studied? Vitamin D3
Status: Recruiting
Location: See location...
Intervention Type: Other, Dietary supplement
Study Type: Interventional
Study Phase: Phase 2
SUMMARY

Quadriceps muscle strength is one of the key determinants for patients to fulfill the Return-to-Play (RTP) criteria after an anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR), in which the muscle size is directly linked to muscle strength. Quadriceps muscle atrophy is unavoidable after ACLR, but the rehabilitation program should increase quadriceps muscle mass. However, despite good rehabilitation compliance, some patient's progress is sub-par and fail to regain muscle mass. Quadriceps muscle atrophy can persist beyond the completion of the rehabilitation program in almost half the patients and the reason behind this is still unknown. This represents an area that requires significant investigation, as quadriceps muscle atrophy and weakness have been shown to be determinants of poor knee function, decreased performance in sports and increased risk of reinjury. Quadriceps muscle atrophy after ACLR is well documented. This can be due to a decreased ability to regain muscle mass with rehabilitation. Athletes are one of the high-risk groups for vitamin D insufficiencies. Vitamin D deficiency can potentially result in decreased hypertrophy when exercising the muscle, leading to a poorer outcome in rehabilitation. Vitamin D has long been recognized for its effect on musculoskeletal health. It can have a direct effect on muscle hypertrophy by acting on specific vitamin D receptors (VDRs) on myocytes, and sufficient or increased levels of vitamin D in patients have been found to correlate with an increase in the size, number, and strength of muscle fibres. Quadriceps muscle hypertrophy after ACLR is triggered by exercise training, facilitated by diet and a number of intrinsic factors. As the rehabilitation programs and diets are similar in patients with varying extents of quadriceps muscle atrophy, individual responses (intrinsic factors) to exercise training may account for the resulting persistent quadriceps muscle atrophy. In this study, the investigators hypothesize that the deficiency of vitamin D may contribute to persistent quadriceps atrophy and weakness. With a stringent double-blinded randomized-controlled-trial (RCT) research design, our proposal will then address the research questions: 'Does vitamin D supplements improve the vitamin D deficiency status in patients after ACL reconstruction?', and 'Does vitamin D supplements improve quadriceps muscle strength for patients after ACLR?'

Eligibility
Participation Requirements
Sex: All
Minimum Age: 18
Maximum Age: 40
Healthy Volunteers: f
View:

• Aged 18-40 with unilateral ACL injury

• Sporting injury with a Tegner score of 7

• Pre-op serum vitamin D level \<20 ng/ml

• 4 months post-ACLR with serum Vitamin D level remained \<20ng/ml

• LSI for quadriceps strength \<70% of contralateral leg at 4-month isokinetic assessment

• Both knees without history of injury/prior surgery

Locations
Other Locations
Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
The Chinese University of Hong Kong
RECRUITING
Hong Kong
Contact Information
Primary
Michael Tim-Yun Ong
michael.ong@cuhk.edu.hk
26364171
Time Frame
Start Date: 2025-03-17
Estimated Completion Date: 2029-09-17
Participants
Target number of participants: 60
Treatments
Experimental: Treatment group
Subject in treatment group will receive one capsule of 2000IU Vitamin D3 supplement per day with the duration of 16 weeks.
Placebo_comparator: Placebo group
Subject in placebo group will receive one capsule of placebo per day which looks exactly same as the Vitamin D3 capsule with the duration of 16 weeks.
Related Therapeutic Areas
Sponsors
Leads: Chinese University of Hong Kong

This content was sourced from clinicaltrials.gov