# Comparative Evaluation of Arthritic Changes in Post-operative Patients With Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) Injuries: A Study of Exercising Versus Sedentary Individuals

## TL;DR

This study compares arthritic changes in sedentary and exercising individuals after ACL surgery, finding fewer changes in those who exercise.

## Contribution

The study provides new evidence on the impact of physical activity on reducing early arthritic changes after ACL reconstruction.

## Key findings

- Only 9.52% of exercising individuals showed arthritic changes after five years.
- 18.51% of sedentary individuals developed arthritic changes post-ACL surgery.
- Regular exercise was linked to reduced early arthritic changes in knee joints.

## Abstract

Background: Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury has become quite a common injury affecting the knee in young and middle-aged individuals. ACL reconstruction is a common surgical intervention indicated after a grade 3 rupture. Meanwhile, early arthritic changes start to appear after five years post-ACL reconstruction. Increased knowledge about regular exercise after ACL reconstruction in the sedentary population can decrease or reduce the chances of having early arthritic changes in the knee. Therefore, a study is needed to find the prevalence of arthritic changes in the exercising and sedentary postoperative ACL injury patients.

Materials and methods: The population was divided into sedentary and exercising populations. The exercising population was further divided into low, moderate, and high-intensity exercises based on the target heart rate range and maximum heart rate. Radiographs just before surgery or immediate post-operative versus recent radiographs (after five years) were used to assess the knee joints of exercising and sedentary populations by using the Kellgren and Lawrence classification (KLC) to measure the severity of knee osteoarthritis.

Results: In the exercising population, only 4(9.52%) of the individuals were found to have arthritic changes in their knee, whereas, in the sedentary population, 10(18.51%) of the individuals had arthritic changes in their knee post-ACL reconstruction after five years. Lack of regular exercise after ACL reconstruction showed early arthritic changes compared to those who were physically active, indicating the impact of physical activity.

Conclusions: This study concludes that a greater number of the sedentary population had arthritic changes in their knee joints post-surgery than those who were physically active, highlighting the significance of regular exercise.