Factors Affecting Return to Sport After ACL Reconstruction

Decision to Return to Sport Participation After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction, Part II: Self-Reported and Functional Performance Outcomes

“…Therapeutic interventions, such as bracing, physical rehabilitation, 17,56,57 activity modification, psychological counseling (to address fear of reinjury or lack of self-efficacy of knee function), [58][59][60] or biologic or pharmacologic therapies 61,62 could potentially improve the quality of life for these patients by reducing pain and symptoms related to their knees. 36,[63][64][65][66][67][68] However, it is not unusual or inappropriate for patients to be told that their knee will never be the same after ACLR, and therefore, patients who experience symptoms may be unlikely to seek treatment and instead resign themselves to altering their activity levels or living with the status quo. Furthermore, in the absence of evaluation by PROs, it appears unlikely that treatment would be offered to these patients given their normal functional capacity shown on many of the standard performance-based outcomes.…”