Quadriceps strength is an early indicator of return to competitive sports 1 year after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction in adult amateur athletes.

Abstract

Return to sports is one of the important reasons why athletes with an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury undergo surgery. There are few reports on return to sports among adult amateur athletes (individuals older than the college age who participate in competitive sports). This study aimed to investigate the return of adult amateur athletes to competitive sports 1 year after ACL reconstruction and to identify the indicators for return to competitive sports. Between January 2015 and December 2017, adult amateur athletes who underwent primary ACL reconstruction were retrospectively investigated. The rate of return to competitive sports 1 year after surgery was evaluated. The patients were categorized into two groups: return to sports group (R group) and non-return to sports group (N group). Pre- and postoperative range of motion, pivot-shift test, anteroposterior laxity, quadriceps strength, Lysholm score, and the International Knee Documentation Committee score were compared between the groups. This study included 78 patients (48 men, 30 women; age range, 22-53 years). Five months after ACL reconstruction, quadriceps strength was significantly lower in the N group than in the R group, denoting muscle weakness in the N group at that time. No significant differences were found in the other items between the groups preoperatively and 1 year after surgery. In this study, the rate of return to competitive sports of adult amateur athletes 1 year after ACL reconstruction was 76.9%. Quadriceps strength may be an early indicator of return to competitive sports 1 year after reconstruction.