| Sumario: | The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that individuals with anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction would demonstrate altered movement variability during walking on a split-belt treadmill, where the belts can move at the same speed or two different speeds, compared to uninjured control individuals. Participants (14 with anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (8 females; average age 21.3 years) and 14 matched controls) completed a split-belt treadmill paradigm of two conditions: baseline (3 min) and split (12 min; 2:1 belt speed ratio with test limb at 50 % of baseline speed). Time points of interest were the last minute of baseline (baseline period) and the first (initial response period) and last minute (sustained response period) of split. Recurrence quantification analysis of bilateral sagittal plane knee angle time series was completed to assess movement variability (Percent Determinism, Mean Line, Max Line) across all three periods of interest. There was a statistically significant interaction of period and group on test limb Max Line (F(2,52) = 3.187, P = 0.049, partial ƞ2 = 0.109). There was a large, statistically significant effect of period for the control group (F(2,26) = 16.785, P = 0.003, η2 = 0.358). There was a small, not statistically significant effect of period for the anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction group (F (2,26) = 0.456 P = 0.639, partial η 2 = 0.034). There was no difference in test limb Max Line between groups during any period of interest (P = 0.036–0.731). Altered movement variability observed during the split-belt treadmill paradigm suggests that individuals with anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction may demonstrate a less responsive movement system compared to uninjured individuals. • Split-belt walking impacts sagittal plane knee movement variability. • Athletes with anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction exhibit altered variability. • Decreased behavioral flexibility after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.
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