Return-to-play criteria based on infrared thermography during anterior cruciate ligament rehabilitation in football players

Reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is associated with degenerative changes during the return-to-play (RTP) process. Infrared thermography, due to its usefulness in monitoring the state of tissues, could help establish physiological criteria for monitoring the knee joint. The aim...

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Main Authors: Victor-Luis Escamilla-Galindo, José Luis Felipe, Antonio Alonso-Callejo, Ralph Van-der-Horst, Ana de la Torre-Combarros, Paolo Minafra, Daniel Fernández-Muñoz, Ismael Fernández-Cuevas
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Termedia Publishing House 2024-10-01
Series:Biology of Sport
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Online Access:https://www.termedia.pl/Return-to-play-criteria-based-on-infrared-thermography-during-r-nanterior-cruciate-ligament-rehabilitation-in-football-players,78,55009,1,1.html
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author Victor-Luis Escamilla-Galindo
José Luis Felipe
Antonio Alonso-Callejo
Ralph Van-der-Horst
Ana de la Torre-Combarros
Paolo Minafra
Daniel Fernández-Muñoz
Ismael Fernández-Cuevas
author_facet Victor-Luis Escamilla-Galindo
José Luis Felipe
Antonio Alonso-Callejo
Ralph Van-der-Horst
Ana de la Torre-Combarros
Paolo Minafra
Daniel Fernández-Muñoz
Ismael Fernández-Cuevas
author_sort Victor-Luis Escamilla-Galindo
collection DOAJ
description Reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is associated with degenerative changes during the return-to-play (RTP) process. Infrared thermography, due to its usefulness in monitoring the state of tissues, could help establish physiological criteria for monitoring the knee joint. The aim of the study was to describe normative skin temperature (Tsk) asymmetry of the knee region of interest (knee ROI) from football players during the ACL RTP process. Thirty professional and semi-professional football players, both male and female, from three different European leagues (age: 26.84±3.46 years; height: 1.83±0.22 m; weight: 75.38±5.92 kg) were evaluated using thermography during their RTP process. A linear mixed model was then developed in which Tsk asymmetry was the dependent variable. Sex and Day were included as predictor variables with fixed effects. Athlete was included as a random effect with (Model 1 and Model 2) and without (Model 3) interaction with Day. Model 2 was fitted with a random intercept and random independent slopes, and Model 3 was fitted with a random intercept and random dependent slopes. The results showed the estimates of the model in which both predictor variables were significant. The asymmetry decreased during the days after surgery (-0.01 per day after surgery). The results might help to establish an objective criterion based on infrared thermography for monitoring the rehabilitation stages in the RTP of football players during one year of evolution. The assessment of the thermal asymmetries of the knee ROI during the RTP established a Tsk progression criterion. Medical and technical staff could implement an infrared thermography tool for knee monitoring between RTP stages.
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spelling doaj-art-33dea624a63242f1a67d8989b4ee2dc22025-08-20T03:49:32ZengTermedia Publishing HouseBiology of Sport0860-021X2083-18622024-10-0142216116710.5114/biolsport.2025.14429555009Return-to-play criteria based on infrared thermography during anterior cruciate ligament rehabilitation in football playersVictor-Luis Escamilla-GalindoJosé Luis FelipeAntonio Alonso-CallejoRalph Van-der-HorstAna de la Torre-CombarrosPaolo MinafraDaniel Fernández-MuñozIsmael Fernández-CuevasReconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is associated with degenerative changes during the return-to-play (RTP) process. Infrared thermography, due to its usefulness in monitoring the state of tissues, could help establish physiological criteria for monitoring the knee joint. The aim of the study was to describe normative skin temperature (Tsk) asymmetry of the knee region of interest (knee ROI) from football players during the ACL RTP process. Thirty professional and semi-professional football players, both male and female, from three different European leagues (age: 26.84±3.46 years; height: 1.83±0.22 m; weight: 75.38±5.92 kg) were evaluated using thermography during their RTP process. A linear mixed model was then developed in which Tsk asymmetry was the dependent variable. Sex and Day were included as predictor variables with fixed effects. Athlete was included as a random effect with (Model 1 and Model 2) and without (Model 3) interaction with Day. Model 2 was fitted with a random intercept and random independent slopes, and Model 3 was fitted with a random intercept and random dependent slopes. The results showed the estimates of the model in which both predictor variables were significant. The asymmetry decreased during the days after surgery (-0.01 per day after surgery). The results might help to establish an objective criterion based on infrared thermography for monitoring the rehabilitation stages in the RTP of football players during one year of evolution. The assessment of the thermal asymmetries of the knee ROI during the RTP established a Tsk progression criterion. Medical and technical staff could implement an infrared thermography tool for knee monitoring between RTP stages.https://www.termedia.pl/Return-to-play-criteria-based-on-infrared-thermography-during-r-nanterior-cruciate-ligament-rehabilitation-in-football-players,78,55009,1,1.htmlsoccer rehabilitation technology injury
spellingShingle Victor-Luis Escamilla-Galindo
José Luis Felipe
Antonio Alonso-Callejo
Ralph Van-der-Horst
Ana de la Torre-Combarros
Paolo Minafra
Daniel Fernández-Muñoz
Ismael Fernández-Cuevas
Return-to-play criteria based on infrared thermography during anterior cruciate ligament rehabilitation in football players
Biology of Sport
soccer
rehabilitation
technology
injury
title Return-to-play criteria based on infrared thermography during anterior cruciate ligament rehabilitation in football players
title_full Return-to-play criteria based on infrared thermography during anterior cruciate ligament rehabilitation in football players
title_fullStr Return-to-play criteria based on infrared thermography during anterior cruciate ligament rehabilitation in football players
title_full_unstemmed Return-to-play criteria based on infrared thermography during anterior cruciate ligament rehabilitation in football players
title_short Return-to-play criteria based on infrared thermography during anterior cruciate ligament rehabilitation in football players
title_sort return to play criteria based on infrared thermography during anterior cruciate ligament rehabilitation in football players
topic soccer
rehabilitation
technology
injury
url https://www.termedia.pl/Return-to-play-criteria-based-on-infrared-thermography-during-r-nanterior-cruciate-ligament-rehabilitation-in-football-players,78,55009,1,1.html
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