High Re-Injury Rates and Poor Outcomes after Anterior Cruciate Ligament Ruptures in Judo

Area of Science:

• Sports Medicine
• Orthopedic Surgery
• Traumatology

Background:

• Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture is a significant injury in judo, impacting athletic careers.
• Limited data exists on treatment outcomes and their effect on judoka's athletic development post-injury.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate ACL re-injury rates and time loss in judoka.
• To assess the regained performance level after conservative versus surgical ACL rupture treatment.

Main Methods:

• An online survey was distributed to 500 judoka who had experienced an ACL rupture.
• Data collected included re-injury rates, persistent symptoms, time loss, and performance level changes.
• Treatment approaches (surgical vs. conservative) and performance levels were analyzed.

Main Results:

• The overall ACL re-injury rate was 27.6%, rising to 41.4% in the highest performance group.
• No significant differences in persistent pain, swelling, or instability were found between surgical and conservative groups.
• 70.4% of conservatively treated athletes returned to sport within 6 months, compared to 35.9% of surgically treated athletes.

Conclusions:

• Judo athletes face high ACL re-injury risks, especially elite performers.
• Persistent symptoms are common after both surgical and conservative ACL treatments.
• Regaining pre-injury performance levels is possible, even with conservative ACL rupture management.