Assessing the Predictive Value of Preoperative Knee Function Tests and Self-Report Scores in Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury Recovery.

Background: The ability to identify patients with long-term poor outcomes using clinical and functional information is limited. Identifying prognostic factors to improve long-term outcomes after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury can influence and inform targeted interventions for this population.

Hypothesis: Preoperative functional tests and patient-reported outcome measures are predictive of postoperative functional recovery and satisfaction in patients undergoing first-time ACL repair, second-time ACL repair on the same knee, and bilateral ACL repair.

Study design: Quasi-experimental prospective study.

Level of evidence: Level 3.

Methods: A total of 88 patients with ACL reconstruction were included. Subjective knee scoring systems and functional performance tests were used for evaluation and analyzed for correlation with results.

Results: The first time ACL injury group had lower scores in the various self-report scales: Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS), Lysholm Rating Scale, International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC), and Lower Extremity Functional Scale (LEFS).

Conclusion: Reduction in self-reported knee function and Y balance test performance after ACL injury are predictive factors for recovery. Estimates exceeded clinically important thresholds. Those who had already undergone surgery had clinically better thresholds, highlighting the assessing these measures when designing presurgical rehabilitation programs.