Using clinic videos to spot risk of a second ACL injury after reconstruction

Predicting second injuries after primary ACL reconstruction using clinically accessible videography

['FUNDING_R01'] · UNIV OF NORTH CAROLINA CHAPEL HILL · NIH-11261253

This project uses easy-to-take clinic videos and wearable sensors to find movement patterns that may predict a second ACL injury in people who've had ACL reconstruction.

Quick facts

Phase['FUNDING_R01']
Study typeNih_funding
SexAll
SponsorUNIV OF NORTH CAROLINA CHAPEL HILL (nih funded)
Locations1 site (CHAPEL HILL, UNITED STATES)
Trial IDNIH-11261253 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this research studies

You would take part around the time your doctor clears you to return to full activity for a single clinic visit that collects short video recordings and in-shoe sensor data. The research team will apply new markerless motion-capture tools to those standard clinic videos to analyze your knee and leg movement without special markers or lab equipment. After the visit, you would get short monthly electronic surveys for 18 months about your activity, function, and whether you have another ACL injury. The study builds on an ongoing multi-site project at UNC-Chapel Hill and Virginia Tech to combine these videos with existing clinical and sensor data to improve prediction models.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal candidates are people with a first-time (primary) ACL reconstruction who are being seen at study sites and are at the point of returning to unrestricted physical activity.

Not a fit: People without a recent primary ACL reconstruction, those not yet cleared to return to activity, or those unable to attend the participating clinics are unlikely to benefit directly from this project.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this could lead to a simple clinic video test that identifies people at higher risk of a second ACL tear so they can get targeted rehab or precautions.

How similar studies have performed: Prior motion-analysis and wearable-sensor studies have linked certain movement patterns to ACL injury risk, but using clinic videos with markerless motion capture to predict second ACL tears is newer and has limited clinical validation so far.

Where this research is happening

CHAPEL HILL, UNITED STATES

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.

View on NIH RePORTER →

Conditions: ACL injury

Last reviewed 2026-05-15 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.