Return to Sport After Multiligament Knee Injury in Young Athletes

While return to sport (RTS) in young athletes after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction has been well studied, little is known regarding their rate of RTS after multiligament knee injury (MLKI).

To assess the level of and factors associated with RTS after MLKI in young athletes.

Case series; Level of evidence, 4.

We retrospectively identified 116 patients aged ≤23 years who had sustained an injury to ≥2 knee ligaments and undergone operative reconstruction or repair of ≥1 ligament. Our primary outcome was self-reported RTS at the preinjury level or higher. We estimated the likelihood of RTS using binomial logistic regression. Secondary variables included the 2000 International Knee Documentation Committee Subjective Knee Form (IKDC-SF), ACL-Return to Sport after Injury (ACL-RSI), and 12-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-12) physical and mental health summaries.

A total of 30 (25.9%) patients (24 men, 6 women; mean age, 18.1 ± 2.5 years) completed patient-reported outcome surveys at a mean follow-up of 7.8 years (median, 6.6 years [range, 1.1-19.5 years]). A total of 28 patients underwent surgical treatment of ≥2 ligaments. RTS was achieved by 90% of patients, and 43.3% returned to their preinjury level or higher. Patients who had played sports at a higher level before injury were more likely to RTS at their preinjury level or higher (odds ratio [OR], 3.516 [95% CI, 1.034-11.955]; P = .044), while those who played cutting sports were less likely to do so (OR, 0.013 [95% CI, 0.000-0.461; P = .017). Patients who achieved RTS at their preinjury level or higher had significantly higher IKDC-SF and ACL-RSI scores versus patients who did not (P = .001 and P = .002, respectively). The number of ligaments injured, age, mental health diagnosis, and SF-12 scores were not associated with the ability to RTS at the preinjury or higher levels.

Most young athletes who sustained MLKI were able to return to play at some level, but a minority returned to their preinjury level. Patients who did return at preinjury or higher levels had higher IKDC-SF and ACL-RSI scores than those who did not. Performance in cutting and/or pivoting sports was negatively associated with RTS.