Enhancing patient outcomes after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction with continuous cryotherapy: A Nursing-Focused Randomized Control Trial

Objective

This nursing-focused study compared the effectiveness of continuous cryotherapy (CC) versus traditional ice packs (IP) in managing postoperative pain, knee swelling, range of motion (ROM), and patient satisfaction following anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR).

Methods

A randomized controlled trial was conducted with 72 post-ACLR patients, equally assigned to receive either CC or IP. Cold therapy was administered by trained orthopedic nurses three times daily, each session lasting 30 min, over three consecutive postoperative days. Pain was assessed using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS). Knee swelling was measured by mid-patella circumference using a tape measure, and range of motion (ROM) was measured using a goniometer. All assessments were performed before and after each morning cold therapy session on postoperative days 1, 2, and 3 by one nurse assessor, before the administration of analgesics or physiotherapy, ensuring standardized, nursing-led evaluations.

Results

Participants were predominantly male, with sports injuries being the primary cause of ACL rupture. Baseline characteristics were comparable between groups. By day 3, the CC group demonstrated significantly lower VAS scores (1.03 ± 0.61) than the IP group (2.69 ± 0.89; p < 0.001), less swelling (0.93 ± 0.72 cm vs. 1.37 ± 0.78 cm; p = 0.015), and greater ROM (62.19 ± 6.57° vs. 48.08 ± 7.15°; p < 0.001).

Conclusions

When integrated into nursing practice, CC was more effective than traditional IP in reducing postoperative pain, swelling, and enhancing knee mobility following ACLR. These findings underscore the crucial role of nurses in delivering evidence-based interventions that promote recovery.

Clinicaltrials.gov idNCT06629285.