Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries: A Review of Quality and Reliability of Online Information

Aim This study aims to evaluate the reliability and quality of online information on anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries. Methods An internet search on the three top search engines, Google, Yahoo!, and Bing, was done using the keywords "anterior cruciate ligament injury". The search was carried out in June 2023, and 39 websites were selected. Exclusion criteria comprised video-only explanatory websites (such as YouTube) and access requiring payment or registration. Websites were categorised using the following scoring systems: (i) DISCERN score, (ii) Health-on-Net Foundation Code (HON code), (iii) Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) benchmark criteria, and (iv) ACL content score, which was specifically designed for this study. Results The majority of websites were commercial (n = 16 [41.0%]), followed by academic (n = 10 [25.6%]). None of the websites included had a HON code present. The mean DISCERN score was 52.1, the mean JAMA score was 2.62, and the mean ACL content score was 7.49. Conclusion There is a vast amount of information available on the internet with regard to the topic of ACL injuries, and this ranges from excellent to poor-quality information. In light of this, orthopaedic specialists and healthcare providers must guide patients to online resources that are reliable and trusted based on either their personal experience or resource type (academic/physician). In addition, we recommend that websites providing information seek HON-code certification as a seal of quality, as this has previously been noted in previous studies to be positively linked with the quality of information delivered.