Return to sport activity after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: A 6-10 years follow-up

Nowadays, patients widely accept anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstructive surgery. However, its long-term complications are still under investigation in athletes. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate long-term ACL reconstruction especially in athletes.

A total of 426 patients with ACL injury were studied during 2008-2012. Demographic characteristics (gender, age, BMI), graft type, chondral lesion, osteoarthritis, meniscus tear, exercise activity, and pain intensity were noted. The effects of these factors on the return to sport activity after ACL reconstruction were also investigated. Lachman test, KT-1000, ACL quality of life (ACL-QOL), KOOS score, IKDC, and LKS were assessed at 2 years post-operation and at final follow-up. Repeated ACL rupture on the same and contralateral sides were also evaluated.Results: knee stability (based on Lachman and KT-1000), knee function (according to KOOS, LKS, and IKDC scores) and ACL-QOL were improved during the 2 years follow-up. The rate of return to sport activity similar to preinjury in patients was 64.08% in final follow-up. Chondral lesion was a limiting factor among the variables that affected the return to sport activity. It caused a return to sport activity similar to pre injury just in 21.24% of the patients. However, meniscus rupture did not affect return to sport activity similar to pre injury. Also, the rate of return to sport activity similar to pre injury was higher in men, patients under 30 years and those who had BMI of 20-25 kg/m². In final follow-up, risk of ACL rupture in the injured knee and contralateral knee was 4.22% and 10.57%, respectively.

Despite the recovery of patients after ACL reconstruction during long-term follow-up in athletes, return to sport activity similar to pre-injury in female, older peoples, overweight patients and athletes with chondral lesion were lower. However, these conditions do not apply to the meniscus rupture.