[The treatment of fresh anterior cruciate ligament ruptures in relation to age and level of sports activity].

Due to its exposure as well as a lack of securing muscles the knee is the human joint with the higher incidence of traumatic injury. The aim of this retrospective study was to illustrate our five-year results following conventional and surgical therapy and to relate these results to the extent of sports activity enjoyed by the accident victim. Assessment was made according to subjective, objective and functional criteria. The surgical group consisted of 52 patients and the conventionally treated group 31 patients. Subjective assessment of the surgical group showed 65.5% of the patients to have very good or good results, as opposed to 32% for the conventionally treated group. When related to average overall sports activities and when using the Innsbruck Scors a significant change was seen in both groups. Surgical patients who participated in competitive or leisure sports showed better results.