Quadriceps Motor Unit Adaptation to Simulated Knee Injury

Conditions

• Knee Injury Simulation
• Muscle Inhibition

Eligibility Criteria

Sex

ALL

Age

18 Years - 30 Years

Healthy Volunteers

Accepted

Interventions

• Joint Effusion via 60 mL Sterile Saline — DEVICE
  Injection of sterile saline into the knee joint to simulate joint swelling and induce quadriceps inhibition.
• Intra-articular Lidocaine — DRUG
  Injection of 7 mL lidocaine into the knee joint to simulate deafferentation by temporarily blocking sensory input.
• Sham injection — OTHER
  Simulated knee injection using a stage needle without skin penetration, used to blind participants and serve as control.

Study Details

This study investigates how simulated knee injury-via artificial joint effusion or deafferentation-affects quadriceps motor unit behavior in healthy young adults. Participants will complete neuromuscular testing during a single 2-hour lab session. This research seeks to improve understanding of muscle inhibition and inform interventions after real-world knee trauma.

Key Dates

Start date

Aug 1, 2026

Status verified

May 2025

Primary completion

Aug 1, 2027

Completion

Aug 1, 2027

Study Design

Enrollment

45 participants (estimated)

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Intervention model

PARALLEL

Primary purpose

BASIC_SCIENCE

Arms

• Experimental: Effusion Group
  60 mL sterile saline injected into knee
• Active Comparator: Deafferentation Group
  Lidocaine (single intra-articular dose)
• Sham Comparator: Control Group
  Sham procedure with fake needle

Primary Outcome Measure

Motor Unit Recruitment (amplitude relative to recruitment threshold) [ Time Frame: Baseline, 0, 30, and 60 minutes post-intervention ]

Central Contacts

• Grant Norte, Ph.D.
  407-823-3188
  [email protected]
• Meredith Chaput, Ph.D.
  [email protected]

Locations (1)

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