Functional and Psychological Preparedness of Athletes Post ACL Repair

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Sports Medicine
• Rehabilitation Science

Background:

• Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries are common, particularly among athletes.
• ACL reconstruction is a standard surgical procedure to restore knee stability.
• Understanding factors influencing long-term outcomes after ACL reconstruction is crucial for patient recovery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare functional outcomes and psychological factors 1-10 years after ACL reconstruction on dominant versus nondominant legs.
• To determine if leg dominance influences return to sport or fear of movement after ACL surgery.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional study of 50 participants (aged 20-38) who underwent ACL reconstruction.
• Participants were divided into two groups based on dominant (n=25) and nondominant (n=25) leg surgery.
• Evaluated using the Anterior Cruciate Ligament Return to Sport after Injury (ACL-RSI) survey, Lower Extremity Functional Scale (LEFS), and Fear Avoidance Beliefs Questionnaire for Physical Activity (FABQ-PA).

Main Results:

• No statistically significant differences were found between the dominant and nondominant leg groups for ACL-RSI, LEFS, or FABQ-PA scores.
• Individual test results indicated similar functional performance and psychological responses regardless of the operated leg's dominance.

Conclusions:

• Leg dominance does not appear to be a significant factor in long-term functional outcomes or psychological readiness for sport after ACL reconstruction.
• Both dominant and nondominant leg ACL injuries demonstrate similar healing trajectories and recovery patterns.
• Future research should explore other variables impacting ACL rehabilitation and return-to-sport success.