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Predictive parameters for return to pre-injury level of sport 6 months following anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction surgery

  • Knee
  • Published:
Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy Aims and scope

Abstract

Purpose

The aim of the study was to find predictive parameters for a successful resumption of pre-injury level of sport 6 months post anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction.

Methods

In a prospective study, 40 patients with a ruptured ACL were surgically treated with semitendinosus tendon autograft. Six months after surgery, strength of knee extensors and flexors, four single-leg hop tests, Anterior Cruciate Ligament–Return to Sport after Injury Scale (ACL–RSI), subjective International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) 2000 and the Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia-11 (TSK-11) were assessed. Seven months post-operatively, a standardized interview was conducted to identify “return to sport” (RS) and “non-return to sport” (nRS) patients. Logistic regression and “Receiver Operating Characteristic” (ROC) analyses were used to determine predictive parameters.

Results

No significant differences could be detected between RS and nRS patients concerning socio-demographic data, muscle tests, square hop and TSK-11. In nRS patients, the Limb Symmetry Index (LSI) of single hop for distance (p = 0.005), crossover hop (p = 0.008) and triple hop (p = 0.001) were significantly lower, in addition to the ACL–RSI (p = 0.013) and IKDC 2000 (p = 0.037). The cut-off points for LSI single hop for distance were 75.4 % (sensitivity 0.74; specificity 0.88), and for ACL–RSI 51.3 points (sensitivity 0.97; specificity 0.63). Logistic regression distinguished between RS and nRS subjects (sensitivity 0.97; specificity 0.63).

Conclusions

The single hop for distance and ACL–RSI were found to be the strongest predictive parameters, assessing both the objective functional and the subjective psychological aspects of returning to sport. Both tests may help to identify patients at risk of not returning to pre-injury sport.

Level of evidence

II.

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Conflict of interest

Authors declare that there is no conflict of interest with any organization.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Orthopaedics, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Munich, Marchioninistrasse 15, 81377, Munich, Germany

    Ulrike Müller

  2. MVZ Nordbad, Schleißheimerstrasse 130, 80797, Munich, Germany

    Michael Krüger-Franke & Bernd Rosemeyer

  3. Department of Medical Informatics, Biometry and Epidemiology of the Faculty of Medicine, University of Munich, Marchioninistrasse 15, 81377, Munich, Germany

    Michael Schmidt

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  1. Ulrike Müller
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  2. Michael Krüger-Franke
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  4. Bernd Rosemeyer
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Correspondence to Ulrike Müller.

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Müller, U., Krüger-Franke, M., Schmidt, M. et al. Predictive parameters for return to pre-injury level of sport 6 months following anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction surgery. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc 23, 3623–3631 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00167-014-3261-5

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