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The ACL-Deficient Knee pp 343–355Cite as

Reducing the Risk of a Reinjury Following ACL Reconstruction: What Factors Should Be Used to Allow Unrestricted Return to Sports Activities?

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Abstract

Anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction is commonly performed in athletes, with the goal of returning to sports activities. Unfortunately, this operation may fail, and the rates of either reinjuring an ACL-reconstructed knee or sustaining an ACL rupture to the contralateral knee range from 3 to 49 %. A systematic review conducted on 264 studies demonstrated that 105 (40 %) failed to provide any criteria for return to sports following ACL reconstruction. Only 35 studies (13 %) noted objective criteria required for return to athletics. Recommendations are provided for measuring muscle strength, lower limb symmetry and neuromuscular control, and ligament function in patients who wish to return to sports activities. Future studies will determine if demonstration of normal lower limb function before sports are resumed is effective in reducing reinjury rates.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Cincinnati Sports Medicine Research and Education Foundation, 10663 Montgomery Road, Cincinnati, OH, 45242, USA

    Sue D. Barber-Westin B.S. & Frank R. Noyes M.D.

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  1. Sue D. Barber-Westin B.S.
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  2. Frank R. Noyes M.D.
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Correspondence to Sue D. Barber-Westin B.S. .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Depto. Cirugia Ortopédica, Hospital Arnau de Vilanova, c/San Clemente 12, Valencia, 46015, Spain

    Vicente Sanchis-Alfonso

  2. , Orthopaedic Surgery, Hospital de Sant Pau, St Antoni m Claret 167, Barcelona, 08025, Spain

    Joan Carles Monllau

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Barber-Westin, S.D., Noyes, F.R. (2013). Reducing the Risk of a Reinjury Following ACL Reconstruction: What Factors Should Be Used to Allow Unrestricted Return to Sports Activities?. In: Sanchis-Alfonso, V., Monllau, J. (eds) The ACL-Deficient Knee. Springer, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-4270-6_29

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-4270-6_29

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