Development of a test battery to enhance safe return to sports after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction

Alli Gokeler, Wouter Welling, Stefano Zaffagnini, Romain Seil, Darin Padua, Alli Gokeler, Wouter Welling, Stefano Zaffagnini, Romain Seil, Darin Padua

Abstract

Purpose: There is a lack of consensus regarding the appropriate criteria for releasing patients to return to sports (RTS) after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR). A test battery was developed to support decision-making.

Methods: Twenty-eight patients (22 males and 6 females) with a mean age of 25.4 ± 8.2 years participated and were 6.5 ± 1.0 months post-ACLR. All patients followed the same rehabilitation protocol. The test battery used consisted of the following: isokinetic test, 3 hop tests and the jump-landing task assessed with the LESS. The isokinetic tests and single-leg hop tests were expressed as a LSI (involved limb/uninvolved limb × 100 %). In addition, patients filled out the IKDC and ACL-Return to Sport after Injury (ACL-RSI) scale. RTS criteria to pass were defined as a LSI > 90 % on isokinetic and hop tests, LESS < 5, ACL-RSI > 56 and a IKDC within 15th percentile of healthy subjects.

Results: Two out of 28 patients passed all criteria of the test protocol. The pass criterion for the LESS < 5 was reached by 67.9 % of all patients. For the hop tests, 78.5 % of patients passed LSI > 90 % for SLH, 85.7 % for TLH and 50 % for the SH. For the isokinetic test, 39.3 % of patients passed criteria for LSI peak torque quadriceps at 60°/s, 46.4 % at 180°/s and 42.9 at 300°/s. In total, 35.7 % of the patients passed criterion for the peak torque at 60°/s normalized to BW (>3.0 Nm) for the involved limb. The H/Q ratio at 300°/s > 55 % for females was achieved by 4 out of 6 female patients, and the >62.5 % criterion for males was achieved by 75 %. At 6 months post-ACLR, 85.7 % of the patients passed the IKDC score and 75 % the ACL-RSI score >56 criteria.

Conclusion: The evidence emerging from this study suggests that the majority of patients who are 6 months after ACLR require additional rehabilitation to pass RTS criteria. The RTS battery described in this study may serve as a framework for future studies to implement multivariate models in order to optimize the decision-making regarding RTS after ACLR with the aim to reduce incidence of second ACL injuries.

Level of evidence: III.

Keywords: Anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction; Hop tests; Injury risk; Questionnaires; Return to sports; Second injury; Strength.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Results of the Landing error scoring system (LESS) presented as frequency distribution histogram. Mean and standard deviation (SD) of LESS and success rate (percentage of patients with a LESS 5 or lower) are also presented
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
LSI peak for the side hop presented as frequency distribution histogram. Mean and standard deviation (SD) of LSI and success rate (percentage of patients with an LSI of 90 % or higher) are also presented
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
LSI peak torque quadriceps at 60°/s presented as frequency distribution histogram. Mean and standard deviation (SD) of LSI and success rate (percentage of patients with an LSI of 90 % or higher) are also presented

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Source: PubMed

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