ACL INJURY AND RETURN TO SPORT

Abstract

We followed 110 patients who had sustained an acute traumatic Haemarthrosis for a mean of 60 months. The arthrometer measurements within 90 days of injury revealed the injured knee was stable in 35 patients and unstable in 75. Thirty-five unstable patients had an ACL reconstruction within 90 days of injury. Surgical procedures performed >90 days after injury included ligament reconstruction in 35 patients. Factors that correlated with patients who had late surgery for a meniscal tear or an ACL reconstruction < (P 0.05) were preinjury hours of sports participation, arthrometer measurements, and patient age. Follow-up data are presented for the patient’s divided into four groups: I, early stable, no reconstruction; II, early unstable, no reconstruction; III, early reconstruction; and IV,late reconstruction. No patient changed occupation because of the knee injury. Hours per year of sports participation and levels of sports participation decreased in all groups. Joint arthrosis was documented by radiograph and bone scan. Joint surface injury abnormalities observed at surgery and meniscal surgery showed greater abnormalities by 
radiograph and bone scan scores (P< 0.05). Reconstructed patients had a higher level of arthrosis by radiograph and bone scan. Anterior cruciate ligament injuries are common. The biggest the number of these injuries occur in sports activities, mainly those that involve deceleration, torsion, shear, and jumping movements. In a study on football team injuries in Albania, reported 2.4 injuries per year on an Albanian university football squad. Many patients remain disabled for sport afterwards an ACL injury; others appear to have minimal damage. Some patients develop secondary and degenerative meniscal ttaears knee arthritis; others show little joint deterioration. Few studies have documented the incidence of late meniscal tears after an ACL injury. Due to the variability of patient impairment after ACL injury and the lack of documentation that ACL surgery prevents degenerative arthritis, controversy over indications for ligament surgery. Moreover, a large number of patients do not often follow the entire functional rehabilitation process. The purpose of this prospective study was to document the outcome of the patient with ACL injury and the search for factors identifiable immediately after the injury correlating with a greater risk of functional impairment, secondary meniscus tears and joint arthrosis.