Advanced Knee Care

Knee Surgeon and Specialist Stefan D. Tarlow, M.D.

Return-to-Sport Rate After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction

By

Eric Hamrin Senorski, PT, MSc, PhD*, Eleonor Svantesson, MD, MSc, Susanne Beischer, PT, MSc, …

First Published April 16, 2018 Research Article 

Can Athletes return to Strenuous Sports 1 Year after Surgery for a Torn ACL Knee?  The answer is yes, but not all.
We continue to learn about return to sport after ACL knee injury.  Not all patients return to their sport.  This study looks at patient characteristics, meniscus and MCL injury, and graft choice at primary ACL reconstruction.  Can these factors predict return to sport (RTS) 1 year after surgery.  Data were extracted  Swedish National Knee Ligament Register. Twelve months after surgery, all patients were evaluated for RTS via the Tegner Activity Scale. The primary outcome was a return to knee-strenuous sport, defined as a Tegner Activity Scale ≥6.

Results:

A total of 272 patients (51% female)age of 16-34 years were included. In the multivariable analysis, a favorable odds ratio (OR) for returning to sport was found for patients of male sex, younger age at the time of ACL reconstruction , a higher preinjury score on the Tegner Activity Scale, and an absence of injury to the meniscus  and medial collateral ligament.  Graft choice did not effect Return to Sport.

Conclusion:

Positive predictors of a return to knee-strenuous sport 1 year after ACL reconstruction were male sex, younger age, a high preinjury level of physical activity, and the absence of concomitant injuries to the medial collateral ligament and meniscus.

Graft choice did not effect Return to Sport.  (Dr. Tarlow comment: autograft BTB (patella), autograft hamstring, autograft Quad tendon is graft of choice in this age of patient.  Allograft of all types contra – indicated in this age group)

Filed Under: ACL

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