Earlier Return to Soccer After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction and Concomitant Meniscal Repair Predict Better Outcomes 3 Years Postoperatively

TL;DR

Soccer players who return to play sooner after ACL and meniscus surgery tend to have better long-term outcomes.

Contribution

Shorter return-to-sport time predicts better psychological and functional outcomes 3 years after surgery.

Findings

82% of soccer players returned to their previous level of play after surgery.

Shorter return-to-sport time was strongly linked to higher ACL-RSI scores.

Younger age and quicker return to sport predicted better psychological outcomes.

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate functional and psychological outcomes to identify successful return to sport (RTS) predictors after arthroscopic meniscal repair with concomitant anatomic single-bundle ACL reconstruction (ACLR) in soccer players.

Forty-three out of forty-six soccer players who underwent primary unilateral arthroscopic anatomic single-bundle ACLR with concomitant meniscal repair were available at follow-up. Postoperatively, knee function, generic health outcomes, and psychological impact were assessed using the IKDC, the SF-12, and the ACL return to sports after injury (ACL-RSI) scale.

After a mean follow-up of 34 ± 15.1 months, 82% of soccer players returned to their previous level of play. The mean time to RTS was 7.8 ± 1.6 months (range 6–12 months). A positive strong correlation between IKDC versus ACL-RSI (p < 0.001) was noted. The correlation was moderately positive between IKDC versus SF-12 PCS (p < 0.001), ACL-RSI versus SF-12 PCS (p < 0.001), ACL-RSI versus SF-12 MCS (p < 0.001), and weakly positive between IKDC versus SF-12-MSC scores (p < 0.001). Higher postoperative ACL-RSI scores were directly related to younger age (p = 0.036) and shorter RTS time after surgery (p = 0.027). The multivariate analysis confirmed the association between a higher postoperative ACL-RSI and a shorter RTS time after surgery (p = 0.043). Higher postoperative SF-12 PCS values were affected by a shorter RTS time after surgery (p = 0.005).

Higher postoperative ACL-RSI scores were directly related to younger patient age and shorter RTS time after surgery.

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