Split-belt treadmill training to restore knee loading after ACL surgery
Official title: Mi-SPA: Michigan Split-belt Adaptation Paradigm to Improve Knee Loading After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction
Funded at University of Michigan at Ann Arbor · NIH-11266154 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project uses split-belt treadmill walking to help people who had ACL reconstruction regain more normal loading on their repaired knee during everyday activities.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Michigan at Ann Arbor NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Ann Arbor, United States) |
| Project start | February 15, 2024 |
| Project end | January 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $123,557 |
| NIH project number | 5R21AR082643-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11266154 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are people who have had ACL reconstruction and are cleared to walk and participate in supervised treadmill-based rehabilitation.
✕Less likely to help
People who have not had ACL reconstruction, are not cleared for treadmill walking, or have conditions preventing safe participation (severe balance, other major lower-limb injuries) are unlikely to benefit from this protocol.
What this research studies
You would walk on a treadmill with the two belts set to different speeds so one leg works differently than the other, which can retrain how you load your surgical knee. Researchers will measure walking forces and knee mechanics in 3-D before and after these training sessions to see if the surgical limb takes on more load. The team will test different belt speed settings and which limb to train to find the most helpful approach. They will also check whether any changes last after the session ends.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could help reduce underloading of the surgical knee and lower the risk of re-injury and later osteoarthritis.
How similar studies have gone: Split-belt treadmill training has changed walking mechanics in healthy and neurological populations and the investigators' pilot data show promising increases in ACL limb loading, but it has not yet been systematically proven for ACL-reconstructed patients.
Where this research is happening
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University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Palmieri-Smith, Riann Marie — University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
- Study coordinator: Palmieri-Smith, Riann Marie
Related research
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Improving healing after ACL surgery with targeted medicine
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Improving knee function after ACL surgery using a special treadmill technique
This study is looking at how walking on a special treadmill, where each leg moves at different speeds, can help people recover better after ACL surgery by improving knee strength and movement, and it’s designed for those who have had this surgery.
-
Improving tendon-to-bone healing after ACL surgery
This study is looking at a new way to help your knee heal better after ACL surgery by using special treatments right where the tendon connects to the bone, which could make recovery faster and reduce the chances of problems later on.
-
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This study tests whether adding a BiFeS block to the standard adductor canal block provides better pain relief after ACL reconstruction.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.