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Context: Patients with anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears are likely to have deficient dynamic postural stability compared with healthy sex- and age-matched controls. Objectives: To test the hypothesis that patients undergoing ACL reconstruction have decreased dynamic postural stability compared with matched healthy controls. Design: Prospective case-control study. Setting: Orthopedic sports medicine and physical therapy clinics. Patients or Other Participants: Patients aged 20 years and younger with an ACL tear scheduled for reconstruction were enrolled prospectively. Controls were recruited from local high schools and colleges via flyers. Interventions: Patients underwent double-stance dynamic postural stability testing prior to surgery, recording time to failure and dynamic motion analysis (DMA) scores. Patients were then matched with healthy controls. Main Outcome Measures: Demographics, lime to failure, and DMA scores were compared between groups. Results: A total of 19 females and 12 males with ACL tears were matched with controls. Individuals with ACL tears were more active (Marx activity score: 15.7 [1.0] vs 10.8 [4.9], P < .001); had shorter times until test failure (84.4 [15.8] vs 99.5 [14.5] s, P < .001); and had higher (worse) DMA scores (627 [147] vs 481 [132], P < .001), indicating less dynamic postural stability. Six patients with ACL deficiency (1 male and 5 lemales) demonstrated lower (better) DMA scores than their controls, and another 7 (4 males and 3 females) were within 20% of controls. Conclusions: Patients undergoing ACL reconstruction had worse global dynamic postural stability compared with well-matched controls. This may represent the effect of the ACL injury or preexisting deficits that contributed to the injury itself. These differences should be studied further to evaluate their relevance to ACL injury risk, rehabilitation, and return to play. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Predictors of return to activity after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) among patients with relatively high preinjury activity levels remain poorly understood. Purpose/Hypothesis: The purpose of this study was to identify predictors of return to preinjury levels of activity after ACLR, defined as achieving a Marx activity score within 2 points of the preinjury value, among patients with Marx activity scores of 12 to 16 who had been prospectively enrolled in the Multicenter Orthopaedic Outcomes Network (MOON) cohort. We hypothesized that age, sex, preinjury activity level, meniscal injuries and/or procedures, and concurrent articular cartilage injuries would predict return to preinjury activity levels at 2 years after ACLR. Study Design: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 2. Methods: All unilateral ACLR procedures from 2002 to 2008 performed in patients enrolled in the MOON, with preinjury Marx activity scores ranging from 12 to 16, were evaluated with a specific focus on return to preinjury activity levels at 2 years postoperatively. Return to activity was defined as a Marx activity score within 2 points of the preinjury value. The proportion of patients able to return to preinjury activity levels was calculated, and multivariable modeling was performed to identify risk factors for patients' inability to return to preinjury activity levels. Results: A total of 1188 patients were included in the final analysis. The median preinjury Marx activity score was 16 (interquartile range, 12-16). Overall, 466 patients (39.2%) were able to return to preinjury levels of activity, and 722 patients (60.8%) were not able to return to preinjury levels of activity. Female sex, smoking at the time of ACLR, fewer years of education, lower 36-Item Short Form Health Survey Mental Component Summary scores, and higher preinjury Marx activity scores were predictive of patients' inability to return to preinjury activity levels. Graft type, revision ACLR, the presence of medial and/or lateral meniscal injuries, a history of meniscal surgery, the presence of articular cartilage injuries, a history of articular cartilage treatment, and the presence of high-grade knee laxity were not predictive of a patient's ability to return to preinjury activity level. Conclusion: At 2 years after ACLR, most patients with high preinjury Marx activity scores did not return to their preinjury level of activity. The higher the preinjury Marx activity score that a patient reported at the time of enrollment, the less likely he/she was able to return to preinjury activity level. Smoking and lower mental health at the time of ACLR were the only modifiable risk factors in this cohort that predicted an inability to return to preinjury activity levels. Continued effort and investigation are required to maximize functional recovery after ACLR in patients with high preinjury levels of activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries in adults are frequently accompanied by meniscal and articular cartilage damage. However, little is known regarding the association, if any, between physical maturity, hypermobility, or bone bruising and these associated injuries in skeletally immature patients with ACL tears. Purpose: To determine if physical maturity, hypermobility, and/or bone bruising is associated with concomitant meniscal and articular cartilage injury in skeletally immature patients with ACL tears. Study Design: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 2. Methods: At 10 institutions in the United States, consecutive skeletally immature patients with complete ACL tears were enrolled between January 2016 and June 2020. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to assess the effect of variables on the likelihood of articular cartilage and meniscal injury. Results: A total of 748 patients were analyzed. Of these, 85 patients (11.4%) had articular cartilage injuries. These patients had a higher bone age (13.9 vs 13.1 years; P =.001), a higher Tanner stage (P =.009), and increased height (162.9 vs 159.9 cm; P =.03) and were heavier (57.8 vs 54.0 kg; P =.02). For each additional Tanner stage, the odds of articular cartilage injury increased approximately 1.6 times (P <.001). Of the total patients, 423 (56.6%) had meniscal tears. Those with meniscal tears were older (12.6 vs 12.0 years; P <.001), had a higher bone age (13.5 vs 12.8 years; P <.001), had a higher Tanner stage (P =.002), had increased height (162.2 vs 157.6 cm; P <.001), and were heavier (56.6 vs 51.6 kg; P <.001). For each additional Tanner stage, the odds of a meniscal tear increased approximately 1.3 times (P <.001). No association was detected between hypermobility or bone bruising and the likelihood of articular cartilage or meniscal injury. Multivariable regression revealed that increasing Tanner stage was associated with an increasing risk of articular cartilage injury, while weight was associated with an increasing risk of meniscal injury. Conclusion: Increasing physical maturity is associated with increased risks of concomitant articular cartilage and meniscal injury in skeletally immature patients with ACL tears. Hypermobility and bone bruising are not associated with articular cartilage or meniscal injury, suggesting that physical maturity, rather than ligamentous laxity, is the primary risk factor for associated injuries in skeletally immature patients with an ACL tear. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Articular cartilage and meniscal damage are commonly encountered and often treated at the time of anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR). Our understanding of how these injuries and their treatment relate to outcomes of ACLR is still evolving. Hypothesis/Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess whether articular cartilage and meniscal variables are predictive of 10-year outcomes after ACLR. We hypothesized that articular cartilage lesions and meniscal tears and treatment would be predictors of the International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC), Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) (all 5 subscales), and Marx activity level outcomes at 10-year follow-up after ACLR. Study Design: Cohort study (prognosis); Level of evidence, 1. Methods: Between 2002 and 2008, individuals with ACLR were prospectively enrolled and followed longitudinally using the IKDC, KOOS, and Marx activity score completed at entry, 2, 6, and 10 years. A proportional odds logistic regression model was built incorporating variables from patient characteristics, surgical technique, articular cartilage injuries, and meniscal tears and treatment to determine the predictors (risk factors) of IKDC, KOOS, and Marx outcomes at 10 years. Results: A total of 3273 patients were enrolled (56% male; median age, 23 years at time of enrollment). Ten-year follow-up was obtained on 79% (2575/3273) of the cohort. Incidence of concomitant pathology at the time of surgery consisted of the following: articular cartilage (medial femoral condyle [MFC], 22%; lateral femoral condyle [LFC], 15%; medial tibial plateau [MTP], 4%; lateral tibial plateau [LTP], 11%; patella, 18%; trochlea, 8%) and meniscal pathology (medial, 37%; lateral, 46%). Variables that were predictive of poorer 10-year outcomes included articular cartilage damage in the patellofemoral (P <.01) and medial (P <.05) compartments and previous medial meniscal surgery (7% of knees; P <.04). Compared with no meniscal tear, a meniscal injury was not associated with 10-year outcomes. Medial meniscal repair at the time of ACLR was associated with worse 10-year outcomes for 2 of 5 KOOS subscales, while a medial meniscal repair in knees with grade 2 MFC chondrosis was associated with better outcomes on 2 KOOS subscales. Conclusion: Articular cartilage injury in the patellofemoral and medial compartments at the time of ACLR and a history of medial meniscal surgery before ACLR were associated with poorer 10-year ACLR patient-reported outcomes, but meniscal injury present at the time of ACLR was not. There was limited and conflicting association of medial meniscal repair with these outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: When meniscal repair is performed during anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction (ACLR), the effect of ACL graft type on meniscal repair outcomes is unclear. Hypothesis: The authors hypothesized that meniscal repairs would fail at the lowest rate when concomitant ACLR was performed with bone--patellar tendon--bone (BTB) autograft. Study Design: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods: Patients who underwent meniscal repair at primary ACLR were identified from a longitudinal, prospective cohort. Meniscal repair failures, defined as any subsequent surgical procedure addressing the meniscus, were identified. A logistic regression model was built to assess the association of graft type, patient-specific factors, baseline Marx activity rating score, and meniscal repair location (medial or lateral) with repair failure at 6-year follow-up. Results: A total of 646 patients were included. Grafts used included BTB autograft (55.7%), soft tissue autograft (33.9%), and various allografts (10.4%). We identified 101 patients (15.6%) with a documented meniscal repair failure. Failure occurred in 74 of 420 (17.6%) isolated medial meniscal repairs, 15 of 187 (8%) isolated lateral meniscal repairs, and 12 of 39 (30.7%) of combined medial and lateral meniscal repairs. Meniscal repair failure occurred in 13.9% of patients with BTB autografts, 17.4% of patients with soft tissue autografts, and 19.4% of patients with allografts. The odds of failure within 6 years of index surgery were increased more than 2-fold with allograft versus BTB autograft (odds ratio = 2.34 [95% confidence interval, 1.12-4.92]; P =.02). There was a trend toward increased meniscal repair failures with soft tissue versus BTB autografts (odds ratio = 1.41 [95% confidence interval, 0.87-2.30]; P =.17). The odds of failure were 68% higher with medial versus lateral repairs (P <.001). There was a significant relationship between baseline Marx activity level and the risk of subsequent meniscal repair failure; patients with either very low (0-1 points) or very high (15-16 points) baseline activity levels were at the highest risk (P =.004). Conclusion: Meniscal repair location (medial vs lateral) and baseline activity level were the main drivers of meniscal repair outcomes. Graft type was ranked third, demonstrating that meniscal repairs performed with allograft were 2.3 times more likely to fail compared with BTB autograft. There was no significant difference in failure rates between BTB versus soft tissue autografts. Registration: NCT00463099 (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: A primary goal of anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) is to reduce pathologically increased anterior and rotational laxity of the knee, but the effects of residual laxity on patient-reported outcomes (PROs) after ACLR remain unclear. Hypothesis: Increased residual laxity at 2 years postoperatively is predictive of a higher risk of subsequent ipsilateral knee surgery and decreases in PRO scores from 2 to 6 years after surgery. Study Design: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 2. Methods: From a prospective multicenter cohort, 433 patients aged <36 years were identified at a minimum 2 years after primary ACLR. These patients underwent a KT-1000 arthrometer assessment and pivot-shift test and completed PRO assessments with the Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score and International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) scores. Patients completed the same PROs at 6 years postoperatively, and any subsequent ipsilateral knee procedures during this period were recorded. Subsequent surgery risk and change in PROs from 2 to 6 years postoperatively were compared based on residual side-to-side KT-1000 arthrometer differences (<−1 mm, −1 to 2 mm, 2 to 6 mm, and >6 mm) in laxity at 2 years postoperatively. Multiple linear regression models were built to determine the relationship between 2-year postoperative knee laxity and 2- to 6-year change in PROs while controlling for age, sex, body mass index, smoking status, meniscal and cartilage status, and graft type. Results: A total of 381 patients (87.9%) were available for follow-up 6 years postoperatively. There were no significant differences in risk of subsequent knee surgery based on residual knee laxity. Patients with a difference >6 mm in side-to-side anterior laxity at 2 years postoperatively were noted to have a larger decrease in PROs from 2 to 6 years postoperatively (P <.05). No significant differences in any PROs were noted among patients with a difference <6 mm in side-to-side anterior laxity or those with pivot glide (IKDC B) versus no pivot shift (IKDC A). Conclusion: The presence of a residual side-to-side KT-1000 arthrometer difference <6 mm or pivot glide at 2 years after ACLR is not associated with an increased risk of subsequent ipsilateral knee surgery or decreased PROs up to 6 years after ACLR. Conversely, patients exhibiting a difference >6 mm in side-to-side anterior laxity were noted to have significantly decreased PROs at 6 years after ACLR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) computer-adaptive testing (CAT) has been shown to be a valid and reliable means of assessing patient-reported outcomes. However, normal scores and distributions for a subset of a healthy young athletic population have not been established. Purpose: To establish normative PROMIS scores for the domains of Physical Function (PF-CAT), Mobility (M-CAT), Upper Extremity Function (UE-CAT), and Pain Interference (PI-CAT) and determine the frequency of floor and ceiling effects in a population of healthy collegiate athletes. Study Design: Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods: Healthy collegiate athletes (18-23 years of age) were prospectively enrolled to complete the 4 PROMIS CAT domains. Additionally, the athletes provided information regarding their age, sex, and sport(s). Mean scores (±SD) and identification of ceiling or floor effects were calculated. Ceiling and floor effects were considered significant if >15% of the participants obtained the highest or lowest possible score on a domain. Results: A total of 194 healthy athletes (mean age, 19.1 years) were included in the study: 118 (60.8%) men and 76 (39.2%) women. Mean scores were 62.9 ± 6.7 for PF-CAT, 58.2 ± 4.1 for M-CAT, 57.4 ± 5.8 for UE-CAT, and 43.2 ± 6.2 for PI-CAT. Distributions of scores for M-CAT and UE-CAT indicated strong ceiling effects by 77.3% and 66.0% of the participants, respectively. In healthy athletes, the PF-CAT differed most from the expected population-based mean score (50), with the mean being >1 SD above (62.9), without a ceiling effect observed. There were no significant sex- or age-based differences on any of the PROMIS domain scores. Conclusion: Healthy collegiate athletes scored nearly 1 SD from population-based means for all of the domains tested. M-CAT and UE-CAT demonstrated ceiling effects in more than two-thirds of healthy athletes, which may limit their utility in this population. The PF-CAT did not demonstrate floor or ceiling effects and demonstrated differences in a young adult athletic population from the population mean. The mean PF-CAT score of 62.9 can represent a target for return of function in injured athletes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The cause of subsequent surgery after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction varies, but if risk factors for specific subsequent surgical procedures can be identified, we can better understand which patients are at greatest risk. Purpose: To report the incidence and types of subsequent surgery that occurred in a cohort of patients 6 years after their index ACL reconstruction and to identify which variables were associated with the incidence of patients undergoing subsequent surgery after their index ACL reconstruction. Study Design: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 2. Methods: Patients completed a questionnaire before their index ACL surgery and were followed up at 2 and 6 years. Patients were contacted to determine whether any underwent additional surgery since baseline. Operative reports were obtained, and all surgical procedures were categorized and recorded. Logistic regression models were constructed to predict which patient demographic and surgical variables were associated with the incidence of undergoing subsequent surgery after their index ACL reconstruction. Results: The cohort consisted of 3276 patients (56.3% male) with a median age of 23 years. A 6-year follow-up was obtained on 91.5% (2999/3276) with regard to information on the incidence and frequency of subsequent surgery. Overall, 20.4% (612/2999) of the cohort was documented to have undergone at least 1 subsequent surgery on the ipsilateral knee 6 years after their index ACL reconstruction. The most common subsequent surgical procedures were related to the meniscus (11.9%), revision ACL reconstruction (7.5%), loss of motion (7.8%), and articular cartilage (6.7%). Significant risk factors for incurring subsequent meniscus-related surgery were having a medial meniscal repair at the time of index surgery, reconstruction with a hamstring autograft or allograft, higher baseline Marx activity level, younger age, and cessation of smoking. Significant predictors of undergoing subsequent surgery involving articular cartilage were higher body mass index, higher Marx activity level, reconstruction with a hamstring autograft or allograft, meniscal repair at the time of index surgery, or a grade 3/4 articular cartilage abnormality classified at the time of index ACL reconstruction. Risk factors for incurring subsequent surgery for loss of motion were younger age, female sex, low baseline Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score symptom subscore, and reconstruction with a soft tissue allograft. Conclusion: These findings can be used to identify patients who are at the greatest risk of incurring subsequent surgery after ACL reconstruction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Physicians' and patients' decision-making process between bone–patellar tendon–bone (BTB) and hamstring tendon autografts for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction (ACLR) may be influenced by a variety of factors in the young, active athlete. Purpose: To determine the incidence of both ACL graft revisions and contralateral ACL tears resulting in subsequent ACLR in a cohort of high school– and college-aged athletes who initially underwent primary ACLR with either a BTB or a hamstring autograft. Study Design: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 2. Methods: Study inclusion criteria were patients aged 14 to 22 years who were injured in sports, had a contralateral normal knee, and were scheduled to undergo unilateral primary ACLR with either a BTB or a hamstring autograft. All patients were prospectively followed for 6 years to determine whether any subsequent ACLR was performed in either knee after their initial ACLR. Multivariable regression modeling controlled for age, sex, ethnicity/race, body mass index, sport and competition level, baseline activity level, knee laxity, and graft type. The 6-year outcomes were the incidence of subsequent ACLR in either knee. Results: A total of 839 patients were eligible, of which 770 (92%) had 6-year follow-up for the primary outcome measure of the incidence of subsequent ACLR. The median age was 17 years, with 48% female, and the distribution of BTB and hamstring grafts was 492 (64%) and 278 (36%), respectively. The incidence of subsequent ACLR at 6 years was 9.2% in the ipsilateral knee, 11.2% in the contralateral normal knee, and 19.7% for either knee. High-grade preoperative knee laxity (odds ratio [OR], 2.4 [95% confidence interval [CI], 1.4-3.9]; P =.001), autograft type (OR, 2.1 [95% CI, 1.3-3.5]; P =.004), and age (OR, 0.8 [95% CI, 0.7-1.0]; P =.009) were the 3 most influential predictors of ACL graft revision in the ipsilateral knee. The odds of ACL graft revision were 2.1 times higher for patients receiving a hamstring autograft than patients receiving a BTB autograft (95% CI, 1.3-3.5; P =.004). No significant differences were found between autograft choices when looking at the incidence of subsequent ACLR in the contralateral knee. Conclusion: There was a high incidence of both ACL graft revisions and contralateral normal ACL tears resulting in subsequent ACLR in this young athletic cohort. The incidence of ACL graft revision at 6 years after index surgery was 2.1 times higher with a hamstring autograft compared with a BTB autograft. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Understanding the risk factors for loss to follow-up in prospective clinical studies may allow for a targeted approach to minimizing follow-up bias and improving the generalizability of conclusions in anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) and other sports-related interventions. Purpose: To identify independent risk factors associated with failure to complete (ie, loss to follow-up) patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) at 2 years after ACLR within a well-funded prospective longitudinal cohort. Study Design: Cohort study (prognosis); Level of evidence, 2. Methods: All patients undergoing primary or revision ACLR enrolled in the prospectively collected database of the multicenter consortium between 2002 and 2008 were included. Multivariate regression analyses were conducted to determine which baseline risk factors were significantly associated with loss to follow-up at a minimum of 2 years after surgery. Predictors assessed for loss to follow-up were as follows: consortium site, sex, race, marital status, smoking status, phone number provided (home or cell), email address provided (primary or secondary), years of school completed, average hours worked per week, working status (full-time, part-time, homemaker, retired, student, or disabled), number of people living at home, and preoperative PROMs (Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score, Marx Activity Rating Scale, and International Knee Documentation Committee). Results: A total of 3202 patients who underwent ACLR were enrolled. The 2-year PROM follow-up rate for this cohort was 88% (2821 of 3202). Multivariate analyses showed that patient sex (male: odds ratio [OR], 1.80) and race (black: OR, 3.64; other nonwhite: OR, 1.81) were independent predictors of 2-year loss to follow-up of PROMs. Education level was a nonconfounder. Conclusion: While education level did not predict loss to follow-up, patients who are male and nonwhite are at increased risk of loss to follow-up of PROM at 2 years. Capturing patient outcomes with minimal loss depends on equitable, not equal, opportunity to maximize generalizability and mitigate potential population-level health disparities. Registration: NCT00478894 (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The perioperative withdrawal of aspirin increases the risk of cardiac, neurologic, and vascular thromboembolic events. The safety of continuing aspirin in patients undergoing knee arthroscopy is unknown. Hypothesis: Perioperative continuation of aspirin does not increase surgical complications or worsen outcomes in patients 50 years of age and older undergoing knee arthroscopy. Study Design: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods: This is a single-center, institutional review board–approved, prospective matched dual-cohort study comparing the surgical complication rates and postoperative outcomes of patients taking daily aspirin with those of unmedicated controls. Ninety patients who were 50 years of age or older and taking 81 mg or 325 mg daily aspirin were matched to 90 controls. Patients were matched on age, surgery type, and the use of a tourniquet. A complication was defined as bleeding, wound dehiscence, or wound infection requiring reoperation. Postoperative outcome measures including hematoma formation, extent of ecchymosis (mm), visual analog scale (VAS) scores for pain and swelling, and the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) were collected preoperatively and postoperatively (10-14 days and 4-6 weeks). Results: There were no complications (0%) in either cohort. There was no difference in hematoma formation (aspirin, 1.8%; controls, 2.4%; P =.79), incidence of ecchymosis (aspirin, 17%; controls, 21%; P =.70), or the average extent of ecchymosis (aspirin, 124.6 mm; controls, 80.3 mm; P =.36) between patients taking aspirin and controls. There was no significant difference in pre- or postoperative knee range of motion between controls and patients taking aspirin. The KOOS subscores and VAS pain scores were similar between patients taking aspirin and controls at baseline and at follow-up. Conclusion: The perioperative continuation of daily aspirin in patients 50 years of age and older undergoing arthroscopic procedures of the knee is safe and does not result in an increased rate of bleeding or wound complications requiring reoperation. Continued aspirin use in patients 50 years of age and older had no significant effect on postoperative physical examination measures or patient-rated outcome scores. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: While a primary goal of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction is to reduce pathologically increased anterior and rotational knee laxity, the relationship between knee laxity after ACL reconstruction and patient-reported knee function remains unclear. Hypothesis: There would be no significant correlation between the degree of residual anterior and rotational knee laxity and patient-reported outcomes (PROs) 2 years after primary ACL reconstruction. Study Design: Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods: From a prospective multicenter nested cohort of patients, 433 patients younger than 36 years of age injured in sports with no history of concomitant ligament surgery, revision ACL surgery, or surgery of the contralateral knee were identified and evaluated at a minimum 2 years after primary ACL reconstruction. Each patient underwent Lachman and pivot-shift evaluation as well as a KT-1000 arthrometer assessment along with Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score and subjective International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) scores. A proportional odds logistic regression model was used to predict each 2-year PRO score, controlling for preoperative score, age, sex, body mass index, smoking, Marx activity score, education, subsequent surgery, meniscal and cartilage status, graft type, and range of motion asymmetry. Measures of knee laxity were independently added to each model to determine correlation with PROs. Results: Side-to-side manual Lachman differences were IKDC A in 246 (57%) patients, IKDC B in 183 (42%) patients, and IKDC C in 4 (<1%) patients. Pivot-shift was classified as IKDC A in 209 (48%) patients, IKDC B in 183 (42%) patients, and IKDC C in 11 (2.5%) patients. The mean side-to-side KT-1000 difference was 2.0 ± 2.6 mm. No significant correlations were noted between pivot-shift or anterior tibial translation as assessed by Lachman or KT-1000 and any PRO. All predicted differences in PROs based on IKDC A versus B pivot-shift and anterior tibial translation were less than 4 points. Conclusion: Neither the presence of IKDC A versus B pivot-shift nor increased anterior tibial translation of up to 6 mm is associated with clinically relevant decreases in PROs 2 years after ACL reconstruction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Knee laxity in the setting of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury is often assessed through physical examination using the Lachman, pivot shift, and anterior drawer tests. The degree of laxity noted on these examinations may influence treatment decisions and prognosis. Hypothesis: Increased preoperative knee laxity is associated with increased risk of revision ACL reconstruction, increased risk of contralateral ACL reconstruction, and poorer patient-reported outcomes at 6 years postoperatively. Study Design: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 2. Methods: 2333 patients who underwent primary isolated ACL reconstruction without additional ligament injury were identified. Patients reported by the operating surgeons to have an International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) grade D Lachman, anterior drawer, or pivot shift examination were classified as having a high-grade laxity. Multiple logistic regression models were used to evaluate whether having high-grade preoperative laxity was predictive of increased odds of undergoing subsequent revision or contralateral ACL reconstruction within 6 years of the index procedure, controlling for patient age, sex, body mass index, Marx activity level, sport, graft type, medial meniscal treatment, and lateral meniscal treatment. Multiple linear regression modeling was used to evaluate whether having high-grade preoperative laxity was predictive of poorer IKDC or Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score Knee-Related Quality of Life (KOOS-QOL) scores at 6 years postoperatively, after controlling for baseline score, patient age, ethnicity, sex, body mass index, marital status, smoking status, sport participation, competition level, Marx activity rating score, graft type, and articular cartilage and meniscal status. Results: In total, 743 of 2325 patients (32.0%) were noted to have high-grade laxity on at least 1 physical examination test. High-grade Lachman was noted in 334 patients (14.4%), high-grade pivot shift was noted in 617 patients (26.5%), and high-grade anterior drawer was noted in 233 patients (10.0%). Six-year revision and contralateral ACL reconstruction data were available for 2129 patients (91.6%). High-grade prereconstruction Lachman was associated with significantly increased odds of ACL graft revision (odds ratio [OR], 1.76; 95% CI, 1.10-2.80, P = .02) and contralateral ACL reconstruction (OR, 1.68; 95% CI, 1.09-2.69; P = .019). High-grade prereconstruction pivot shift was associated with significantly increased odds of ACL graft revision (OR, 1.75; 95% CI, 1.19-2.54, P = .002) but not with significantly increased odds of contralateral ACL reconstruction (OR, 1.30; 95% CI, 0.89-1.87; P = .16). High-grade prereconstruction laxity was associated with statistically significantly lower 6-year IKDC (β = −2.26, P = .003), KOOS-QOL (β = −2.67, P = .015), and Marx activity scores (β = −0.54, P = .020), but these differences did not approach clinically relevant differences in patient-reported outcomes. Conclusion: High-grade preoperative knee laxity is predictive of increased odds of revision ACL reconstruction and contralateral ACL reconstruction 6 years after ACL reconstruction. Poorer patient-reported outcome scores in the high-grade laxity group were also noted, but the difference did not reach a level of clinical relevance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) has demonstrated inferior psychometric properties when compared with the International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) subjective knee form when assessing outcomes after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. The KOOS, Joint Replacement (KOOS, JR) is a validated short-form instrument to assess patient-reported outcomes (PROs) after knee arthroplasty, and the purpose of this study was to determine if augmenting the KOOS, JR with additional KOOS items would allow for the creation of a short-form KOOS-based global knee score for patients undergoing ACL reconstruction, with psychometric properties similar to those of the IKDC. Hypothesis: An augmented version of the KOOS, JR could be created that would demonstrate convergent validity with the IKDC but avoid the ceiling effects and limitations previously noted with several of the KOOS subscales. Study Design: Cohort study (diagnosis); Level of evidence, 2. Methods: Based on preoperative and 2-year postoperative responses to the KOOS questionnaires from a sample of 1904 patients undergoing ACL reconstruction, an aggregate score combining the KOOS, JR and the 4 KOOS Quality of Life subscale questions, termed the KOOSglobal, was developed. Psychometric properties of the KOOSglobal were then compared with those of the IKDC subjective score. Convergent validity between the KOOSglobal and IKDC was assessed with a Spearman correlation (ρ). Responsiveness of the 2 instruments was assessed by calculating the pre- to postoperative effect size and relative efficiency. Finally, the presence of a preoperative floor or postoperative ceiling effect was defined with the threshold of 15% of patients reporting either the worst possible (0 for KOOSglobal and IKDC) or the best possible (100 for KOOSglobal and IKDC) scores, respectively. Results: The newly developed KOOSglobal was responsive after ACL reconstruction and demonstrated convergent validity with the IKDC. The KOOSglobal significantly correlated with the IKDC scores (ρ = 0.91, P < .001), explained 83% of the variability in IKDC scores, and was similarly responsive (relative efficiency = 0.63). While there was a higher rate of perfect postoperative scores with the KOOSglobal (213 of 1904, 11%) than with the IKDC (6%), the KOOSglobal was still below the 15% ceiling effect threshold. Conclusion: The large ceiling effects limit the ability to use several of the KOOS subscales with the younger, more active ACL population. However, by creating an aggregate score from the KOOS, JR and 4 KOOS Quality of Life subscale questions, the 11-item KOOSglobal offers a responsive PRO tool after ACL reconstruction that converges with the information captured with the IKDC. Also, by offering the ability to calculate multiple scores from a single questionnaire, the KOOSglobal may provide the orthopaedic community a single PRO platform to be used across knee-related subspecialties. Registration: NCT00478894 (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction can effectively return athletes to the playing field, but they are still at risk of developing posttraumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA). No studies have used multivariable analysis to evaluate the predictors of radiographic PTOA in the lateral compartment of the knee at short-term follow-up after ACL reconstruction. Purpose: To determine the predictors of radiographic joint space narrowing in the lateral compartment 2 to 3 years after ACL reconstruction in a young, active cohort. Study Design: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 2. Methods: A nested cohort of 358 patients from the Multicenter Orthopaedic Outcomes Network (MOON) prospective cohort who were aged ≤33 years, were injured playing a sport, and had never undergone surgery on the contralateral knee were followed up 2 years after ACL reconstruction with questionnaires and with weightbearing knee radiographs using the metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joint technique. The joint space width in the lateral compartment was measured using a semiautomatic computerized method, and multivariable predictive modeling was used to evaluate the relationship between meniscus treatment, cartilage injury, graft type, and joint space while adjusting for age, sex, body mass index, and Marx activity score. Results: The mean lateral joint space width was 0.11 mm narrower on the ACL-reconstructed knee compared with the contralateral healthy knee (7.69 mm vs 7.80 mm, respectively; P < .01). Statistically significant predictors of a narrower joint space width on the ACL-reconstructed knee included lateral meniscectomy (P < .001) and a Marx activity score less than 16 points (P < .001). Conclusion: This study identifies lateral meniscectomy and a lower baseline Marx activity score to be predictors of radiographic joint space narrowing in the lateral compartment 2 to 3 years after ACL reconstruction in young, active patients without a prior knee injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries are prevalent in contact sports that feature cutting and pivoting, such as American football. These injuries typically require surgical treatment, can result in significant missed time from competition, and may have deleterious long-term effects on an athlete’s playing career and health. While the majority of ACL tears in other sports have been shown to occur from a noncontact mechanism, it stands to reason that a significant number of ACL tears in American football would occur after contact, given the nature of the sport. Hypothesis/Purpose: The purpose was to describe the mechanism, playing situation, and lower extremity limb position associated with ACL injuries in professional American football players through video analysis to test the hypothesis that a majority of injuries occur via a contact mechanism. Study Design: Case series; Level of evidence, 4. Methods: A retrospective cohort of National Football League (NFL) players with ACL injuries from 3 consecutive seasons (2013-2016) was populated by searching publicly available online databases and other traditional media sources. Of 156 ACL injuries identified, 77 occurred during the regular season and playoffs, with video analysis available for 69 injuries. The video of each injury was independently viewed by 2 reviewers to determine the nature of the injury (ie, whether it occurred via a noncontact mechanism), the position of the lower extremity, and the football activity at the time of injury. Playing surface, player position, and time that the injury occurred were also recorded. Results: Contrary to our hypothesis, the majority of ACL injuries occurred via a noncontact mechanism (50 of 69, 72.5%), with the exception of injury to offensive linemen, who had a noncontact mechanism in only 20% of injuries. For noncontact injuries, the most common football activity at the time of injury was pivoting/cutting, and the most common position of the injured extremity included hip abduction/flexion, early knee flexion/abduction, and foot abduction/external rotation. There was no association between injury mechanism and time of injury or playing surface in this cohort. Conclusion: In this study of players in the NFL, the majority of ACL tears involved a noncontact mechanism, with the lower extremity exhibiting a dynamic valgus moment at the knee. These findings suggest that ACL injury prevention programs may reduce the risk of noncontact ACL tears in American football players. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The long-term prognosis and risk factors for quality of life and disability after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction remain unknown. Hypothesis/Purpose: Our objective was to identify patient-reported outcomes and patient-specific risk factors from a large prospective cohort at a minimum 10-year follow-up after ACL reconstruction. We hypothesized that meniscus and articular cartilage injuries, revision ACL reconstruction, subsequent knee surgery, and certain demographic characteristics would be significant risk factors for inferior outcomes at 10 years. Study Design: Therapeutic study; Level of evidence, 2. Methods: Unilateral ACL reconstruction procedures were identified and prospectively enrolled between 2002 and 2004 from 7 sites in the Multicenter Orthopaedic Outcomes Network (MOON). Patients preoperatively completed a series of validated outcome instruments, including the International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC), Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS), and Marx activity rating scale. At the time of surgery, physicians documented all intra-articular abnormalities, treatment, and surgical techniques utilized. Patients were followed at 2, 6, and 10 years postoperatively and asked to complete the same outcome instruments that they completed at baseline. The incidence and details of any subsequent knee surgeries were also obtained. Multivariable regression analysis was used to identify significant predictors of the outcome. Results: A total of 1592 patients were enrolled (57% male; median age, 24 years). Ten-year follow-up was obtained on 83% (n = 1320) of the cohort. Both IKDC and KOOS scores significantly improved at 2 years and were maintained at 6 and 10 years. Conversely, Marx scores dropped markedly over time, from a median score of 12 points at baseline to 9 points at 2 years, 7 points at 6 years, and 6 points at 10 years. The patient-specific risk factors for inferior 10-year outcomes were lower baseline scores; higher body mass index; being a smoker at baseline; having a medial or lateral meniscus procedure performed before index ACL reconstruction; undergoing revision ACL reconstruction; undergoing lateral meniscectomy; grade 3 to 4 articular cartilage lesions in the medial, lateral, or patellofemoral compartments; and undergoing any subsequent ipsilateral knee surgery after index ACL reconstruction. Conclusion: Patients were able to perform sports-related functions and maintain a relatively high knee-related quality of life 10 years after ACL reconstruction, although activity levels significantly declined over time. Multivariable analysis identified several key modifiable risk factors that significantly influence the outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Knee laxity in the setting of suspected anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury is frequently assessed through physical examination using the Lachman, pivot-shift, and anterior drawer tests. The degree of laxity noted on these examinations may influence treatment decisions and prognosis. Hypothesis: Increased preoperative knee laxity would be associated with increased risk of subsequent revision ACL reconstruction and worse patient-reported outcomes 2 years postoperatively. Study Design: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 2. Methods: From an ongoing prospective cohort study, 2333 patients who underwent primary isolated ACL reconstruction without collateral or posterior cruciate ligament injury were identified. Patients reported by the operating surgeons as having an International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) grade D for Lachman, anterior drawer, or pivot-shift examination were classified as having high-grade laxity. Multiple logistic regression modeling was used to evaluate whether having high-grade preoperative laxity was associated with increased odds of undergoing revision ACL reconstruction within 2 years of the index procedure, controlling for patient age, sex, Marx activity level, level of competition, and graft type. Multiple linear regression modeling was used to evaluate whether having high-grade preoperative laxity was associated with worse IKDC score or Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score Knee-Related Quality of Life subscale (KOOS-QOL) scores at a minimum 2 years postoperatively, controlling for baseline score, patient age, ethnicity, sex, body mass index, marital status, smoking status, sport participation, competition level, Marx activity rating score, graft type, and articular cartilage and meniscus status. Results: Pre-reconstruction laxity data were available for 2325 patients (99.7%). Two-year revision data were available for 2259 patients (96.8%), and patient-reported outcomes were available for 1979 patients (84.8%). High-grade preoperative laxity was noted in 743 patients (31.9%). The mean postoperative IKDC score was 81.8 ± 15.9, and the mean KOOS-QOL score was 72.0 ± 22.0. The presence of high-grade pre-reconstruction laxity was associated with significantly increased odds of ACL graft revision (odds ratio [OR] = 1.87 [95% CI, 1.19-2.95]; P = .007). The presence of high-grade pre-reconstruction laxity was not associated with any difference in postoperative IKDC (β = −0.56, P = .44) or KOOS-QOL (β = 0.04, P = .97). Conclusion: The presence of high-grade pre-reconstruction knee laxity as assessed by manual physical examination under anesthesia is associated with significantly increased odds of revision ACL surgery but has no association with patient-reported outcome scores at 2 years after ACL reconstruction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction failure occurs in up to 10% of cases. Technical errors are considered the most common cause of graft failure despite the absence of validated studies. Limited data are available regarding the agreement among orthopaedic surgeons regarding the causes of primary ACL reconstruction failure and accuracy of graft tunnel Placement.Hypothesis: Experienced knee surgeons have a high level of interobserver reliability in the agreement about the causes of primary ACL reconstruction failure, anatomic graft characteristics, and tunnel placement.Study Design: Cohort study (diagnosis); Level of evidence, 3.Methods: Twenty cases of revision ACL reconstruction were randomly selected from the Multicenter ACL Revision Study (MARS)database. Each case included the patient's history, standardized radiographs, and a concise 30-second arthroscopic video taken at the time of revision demonstrating the graft remnant and location of the tunnel apertures. All 20 cases were reviewed by 10 MARS surgeons not involved with the primary surgery. Each surgeon completed a 2-part questionnaire dealing with each surgeon's training and practice, as well as the placement of the femoral and tibial tunnels, condition of the primary graft, and the surgeon's opinion as to the causes of graft failure. Interrater agreement was determined for each question with the kappa coefficient and the prevalence-adjusted, bias-adjusted kappa (PABAK).Results: The 10 reviewers have been in practice an average of 14 years and have performed at least 25 ACL reconstructions per year, and 9 were fellowship trained in sports medicine. There was wide variability in agreement among knee experts as to the specific causes of ACL graft failure. When participants were specifically asked about technical error as the cause for failure, inter-observer agreement was only slight (PABAK = 0.26). There was fair overall agreement on ideal femoral tunnel placement (PABAK= 0.55) but only slight agreement on whether a femoral tunnel was too anterior (PABAK = 0.24) and fair agreement on whether it was too vertical (PABAK = 0.46). There was poor overall agreement for ideal tibial tunnel placement (PABAK = 0.17).Conclusion: This study suggests that more objective criteria are needed to accurately determine the causes of primary ACL graft failure as well as the ideal femoral and tibial tunnel placement in patients undergoing revision ACL reconstruction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reflects on a study conducted on anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears. It states that a review of a prospective cohort was used to examine the return to sport outcome in patients who had previously undergone ACL reconstructions (ACLRs). A descriptive statistics of all college and high school player's return to sport and progression to the next level were calculated as percentages, which were not as high as would be expected, especially for amateur American football players.

Background: The majority of previous literature focusing on spinal injuries in American football players is centered around catastrophic injuries; however, this may underestimate the true number of these injuries in this athletic cohort. Purpose: The goals of this study were to (1) report the incidence of spinal and axial skeleton injuries, both minor and severe, in the National Football League (NFL) over an 11-year period; (2) determine the incidence of spinal injury by injury type, anatomic location, player position, mechanism of injury, and type of exposure (practice vs game); and (3) determine the average number of practices and days missed because of injury for each injury type. Study Design: Descriptive epidemiological study. Methods: All documented injuries to the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spine; pelvis; ribs; and spinal cord were retrospectively analyzed using the NFL’s injury surveillance database over a period of 11 seasons from 2000 through 2010. The data were analyzed by the number of injuries per athlete-exposure, the anatomic location and type of injury, player position, mechanism of injury, and number of days missed per injury. Results: A total of 2208 injuries occurred to the spine or axial skeleton over an 11-season interval in the NFL, with a mean loss of 25.7 days per injury. This represented 7%of the total injuries during this time period. Of these 2208 injuries, 987 (44.7%) occurred in the cervical spine. Time missed from play was greatest for thoracic disc herniations (189 days/injury). Other injuries that had a mean time missed greater than 30 days included (in descending order) cervical fracture (120 days/injury), cervical disc degeneration/herniation (85 days/injury), spinal cord injury (77 days/injury), lumbar disc degeneration/herniation (52 days/injury), thoracic fracture (34 days/injury), and thoracic nerve injury (30 days/injury). Offensive linemen were the most likely to suffer a spinal injury, followed by defensive backs, defensive linemen, and linebackers. Blocking and tackling were the 2 most frequent injury mechanisms reported. Conclusion: Spinal and axial skeleton injuries occur frequently in the NFL and can result in significant time missed from practices and games. Tackling and blocking result in the greatest number of injuries, and players performing these activities are the most likely to sustain a spinal injury. The results of this study may be used as an impetus to formulate strategies to prevent spinal injuries in American football players. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Revision anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction is believed to have an inferior outcome compared with primary ACL reconstruction. The available literature on the outcome of revision ACL reconstruction is sparse com-pared with that for primary reconstruction. The purpose of this systematic review was to test the hypothesis that the outcome of revision ACL reconstruction compares unfavorably with the historical outcome of primary ACL reconstruction. Methods: A systematic review of studies evaluating the outcome of revision ACL reconstructions with a minimum of two years of follow-up was performed. Pooled data were collected when appropriate and a mixed-effect-model meta-analysis was performed for important outcome measures that were reported in several studies (objective graft failure, Lysholm score, International Knee Documentation Committee [IKDC] subjective score, and IKDC objective score). Objective failure was defined as repeat revision, a side-to-side difference of >5 mm measured with use of a KT1000 arthrometer, or a pivot-shift grade of 2+ or3+. Results: Twenty-one studies were included, and 863 of the 1004 patients in these studies had a minimum of two years of follow-up and were analyzed. The pooled mean age of the patients at the time of the revision procedure was 30.6 years, and 66% were male. Objective failure occurred in 13.7% ± 2.7% of the patients (95% confidence interval, 8.0% to 19.4%). The mean Lysholm score in 491 patients was 82.1 ± 3.3 (95% confidence interval, 74.6 to 89.5) according to a mixed-model meta-analysis. The mean IKDC subjective score in 202 patients was 74.8 ± 4.4 (95% confidence interval, 62.5 to 87.0). Conclusions: Revision ACL reconstruction resulted in a worse outcome compared with primary ACL reconstruction. Patient-reported outcome scores were inferior to previously published results of primary ACL reconstruction, but these differences may not be clinically important. A dramatically elevated failure rate was noted after revision ACL recon-struction; this rate was nearly three to four times the failure rate in prospective series of primary ACL reconstructions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Quantify days missed, games missed, injury burden, and time to return to full participation (RTFP) among National Football League (NFL) players who sustained a concussion. Design: Retrospective cohort study. Setting: 2015 through 2020 NFL seasons. Participants: National Football League players diagnosed with a concussion from 2015 to 2020. Interventions: National Football League-mandated graduated RTFP protocol. Main Outcome Measures: Days missed, games missed, burden, and time to RTFP, overall and by position. Results: An annual average of 3639 player-days of participation and 255 games were missed across NFL because of concussion. Concussed players missed a median of 9 days (mean = 15.0), a relatively stable metric over 6 years, with slight variation by position. Offensive linemen, tight ends, running backs, and linebackers missed the most days per concussion; defensive secondary, offensive linemen, and wide receivers sustained the highest injury burden. Postconcussion, 59% of players missed one or more scheduled games. Among players concussed in a Sunday game, 38% played in a Sunday game one week later. Conclusions: The 9-day median time missed post-concussion may be related to emphasis on graduated phase-based concussion management. No concussed player returned to competition on the day of injury, and less than 40% participated in games the following week. Further work is needed to better understand characteristics of concussions that take longer to return and movement through stages of return. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]