Changes in subjective knee function and psychological status from preoperation to 6 months post anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction

Shunsuke Ohji; Junya Aizawa; Kenji Hirohata; Takehiro Ohmi; Sho Mitomo; Hideyuki Koga; Kazuyoshi Yagishita

doi:10.1186/s40634-022-00551-2

Changes in subjective knee function and psychological status from preoperation to 6 months post anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction

J Exp Orthop. 2022 Dec 1;9(1):114. doi: 10.1186/s40634-022-00551-2.

Authors

Shunsuke Ohji¹, Junya Aizawa², Kenji Hirohata³, Takehiro Ohmi³, Sho Mitomo³, Hideyuki Koga⁴, Kazuyoshi Yagishita³

Affiliations

¹ Clinical Center for Sports Medicine and Sports Dentistry, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo-Ku, Tokyo, 113-8519, Japan. ohji.spt@tmd.ac.jp.
² Department of Physical Therapy, Juntendo University, 3-2-12 Hongo, Bunkyo-Ku, Tokyo, 113-0033, Japan.
³ Clinical Center for Sports Medicine and Sports Dentistry, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo-Ku, Tokyo, 113-8519, Japan.
⁴ Department of Joint Surgery and Sports Medicine, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo-Ku, Tokyo, 113-8519, Japan.

Abstract

Purpose: To determine characteristic changes in subjective knee function, kinesiophobia, and psychological readiness to return to sports between scores taken before anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) and those taken 6 months post-ACLR.

Methods: Thirty-two participants (median age, 20.0 years) were included. Subjective knee function was assessed using the International Knee Documentation Committee Subjective Knee Form (IKDC-SKF). The Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia (TSK-11) and Anterior Cruciate Ligament Return to Sport after Injury (ACL-RSI) scale were used to evaluate kinesiophobia and psychological readiness to return to sport, respectively. Questionnaires were administered 1 day before surgery and at 6 months post-ACLR. A positive change was defined as an increase in IKDC-SKF and ACL-RSI scores and a decrease in TSK-11 score. The change in each score from pre-ACLR to 6 months post-ACLR was analyzed using a paired t-test. The percentage change in scores was calculated, and the correlations of the percentage change in the TSK-11 and ACL-RSI scores and that in the IKDC-SKF score were analyzed.

Results: All scores differed significantly positively from pre-ACLR to 6 months post-ACLR. The proportion of participants whose scores did not change positively from pre-ACLR to 6 months post-ACLR was higher for the TSK-11 (38.0%) and ACL-RSI (38.0%) than for the IKDC-SKF (6.3%). No correlation was observed between the percentage change in the IKDC-SKF score and that in the TSK-11 or ACL-RSI scores from pre-ACLR to 6 months post-ACLR.

Conclusions: Changes in subjective knee function and psychological status from pre-ACLR and 6 months post-ACLR may not be interdependent.

Keywords: Anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction; Fear of reinjury; Psychological recovery; Return to play; Subjective outcome.