2015 ISAKOS Biennial Congress ePoster #1226

Factors Associated With Returning to Football After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction

Alexander Sandon, MD, Stockholm SWEDEN
Suzanne Werner, PhD, Vallentuna SWEDEN
Magnus Forssblad, Stockholm SWEDEN
Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, SWEDEN

FDA Status Not Applicable

Summary: Female gender, cartilage injury, and knee pain during physical activity were independent negative predictors for returning to football after ACL reconstruction.

Abstract:

Purpose

The aim of the present investigation was to
identify possible factors associated with returning to football
on an average 3.2 ± 1.4 years after anterior cruciate
ligament (ACL) reconstruction in both male and female
football players.

Methods

The players were recruited from a patient
database of football players that have undergone an ACL
reconstruction between 2004 and 2007 at the Capio Artro
Clinic, Sophiahemmet in Stockholm, Sweden. Special
attention was paid to gender, age, type of graft for ACL
reconstruction, associated injuries, anterior knee laxity,
thigh muscle torques and symptoms/problems during, and/
or after physical activity. In the beginning of the summer of
2009, 205 players (37.9 %) out of 541 players filled out a
questionnaire designed to evaluate physical activity and
knee function in a sports-specific setting. A detailed
dropout analysis showed that females responded to a higher
degree than males. No other significant differences
between responders and non-responders were found.

Results

Fifty-four per cent (n = 111) had returned to
football, and 46 % (n = 94) had not. Using logistic
regression analyses, we found that the female gender
(p = 0.036, OR 0.518), cartilage injury (p = 0.013, OR
0.368), and pain during physical activity (p = 0.002, OR
0.619) were significant negative predictors for returning to
football after ACL reconstruction and rehabilitation. For
players with all three significant factors, only 10 %
returned to football compared to 76.5 % of those without
any of these factors.

Conclusions

Female gender, cartilage injury, and knee
pain during physical activity were independent negative
predictors for returning to football after ACL reconstruction.
At a mean follow-up of 3.2 ± 1.4 years after ACL
reconstruction, pain during physical activity was reported
to be the most common symptom/problem in football
players. The clinical relevance of this study is to improve
the treatment of ACL injured football players focusing on
female gender and knee pain. Furthermore, ACL injury
prevention should be highlighted in football players,
especially female players.