Editorial perspective: quality improvement to close the research-practice gap - anterior cruciate ligament surgical research injury prevention exemplar.

Abstract

Background: This editorial discusses challenges with inconsistent translation of evidence into routine clinical practice in health care. To illustrate the challenge and point toward solutions, we consider the field of anterior cruciate ligament injury management, which is characterized by intensive study of surgical approaches.

Methods: We conducted a critical analysis of publications in Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, and Arthroscopy from January 2025 to March 2026 (n = 821). EndNote records were filtered for terms associated with research translation and implementation science.

Results: Of 296 term occurrences, "model" appeared 165 times, predominantly referring to statistical analysis or artificial intelligence rather than implementation frameworks. "Implementation" appeared 20 times, with only two papers explicitly addressing implementation science concepts. Terms such as "theory," "determinant," "behavior," and "transfer" yielded zero results.

Conclusions: A substantial gap exists between clinical research and implementation-focused approaches in the anterior cruciate ligament surgery literature. We argue that efficacy studies should be accompanied by structured implementation frameworks, and that these should be integrated within existing organizational safety and quality improvement mechanisms. Process frameworks provide accessible entry points for connecting evidence-based recommendations to audit cycles, accreditation requirements, and clinical governance systems. This integration may better support systematic translation of anterior cruciate ligament research into routine practice settings.

Spanish abstract: http://links.lww.com/IJEBH/A662.