60 patients scheduled for anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction were randomized to analgesia with either local infiltration analgesia or femoral nerve block. Patients were assessed over the first 24 hours postoperatively for pain severity, rescue analgesia consumption, the incidence of adverse events, and for muscle girth at 4 weeks. Results demonstrated no significant differences between groups in analgesic outcomes. However, the use of local infiltration analgesia maintained thigh diameter, indicating a better potential retention of muscle mass.