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Context: The purpose of this study was to compare short-term clinical outcomes between meniscus procedures performed with anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR), ACLR (ACLR-only), ACLR with meniscectomy/resection (ACLR-resect), and ACLR with meniscal repair (ACLR-repair) for bone patellar tendon bone grafts (BPTB) and hamstring tendon grafts, separately. Design: This was a cross-sectional study conducted in a controlled laboratory setting as part of a large point-of-care collaborative research program. Methods: This study included 314 participants (168 females; mean [SD]: age, 19.7 [4.8]) with primary unilateral ACLR with a BPTB or hamstring tendon. Patients were divided into 3 groups depending on meniscal procedure (ACLR-only, ACLR-resect, and ACLR-repair). Postsurgical testing included: isokinetic assessment of knee extension and flexion, single-leg hop tests, and patient-reported outcomes. Multivariate analysis of covariance compared differences between meniscal procedures on the battery of tests, and for each statistically significant variable an analysis of covariance assessed the effect of meniscal procedure within each graft type. Chi-square analysis assessed the influence of meniscal procedure on tests' pass rates defined as 90% of limb symmetry index. Results: BPTB: ACLR-only had greater hamstring strength than ACLR-resect (P = .05) and ACLR-repair (P = .005). ACLR-only had the highest proportion of participants to pass the hamstring strength test (P=.02). amstring tendon: ACLR-only (P=.03) and ACLR-resect (P=.003) had higher International Knee Documentation Committee scale scores than ACLR-repair. There was a significant difference in the proportion of participants who scored >90% limb symmetry index on the timed hop test (P = .05). Conclusions: The influence of meniscal repair on clinical outcomes is dependent on the graft choice. Following an ACLR with BPTB and a meniscal procedure, hamstring function should be more closely monitored for optimal short-term recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to compare force distribution in patients with ACLR during a squatting task at two time points post ACLR. METHODS: Thirty patients with primary, unilateral, and uncomplicated ACLR (19M/11F, 22.2±10.2 yr, 174±10.2cm, 76.4±14.9kg, 4.70±1.66 months post ACLR) were evaluated at 2 visits (V1 and V2) 2 months apart and before release to unrestricted physical activity. Patients stood with feet shoulder width apart, each foot on independent, instrumented pressure mat performing three sets of squats at a standardized pace. Changes in pressure were converted to force for analysis. Force distribution between limbs was recorded and LSI between limbs during each frame of the trial was calculated. Then, we calculated average number of frames where pressures exceeded 90% side-side symmetry were divided by the total frame number for each 3-squat trial. A higher %LSI value represents more time squatting with symmetric side-side force distribution. %LSI values at V1 and V2 post ACLR were compared using a paired samples t-tests. Cohen's D effect sizes were calculated. Alpha level was 0.05. RESULTS: %LSI at V1 (0.25±0.17%) was not statistically significantly different compared to V2 (0.19±0.16%), p = 0.07, Cohen's d = 0.34. Ten patients improve their %LSI values from V1 to V2 (See Figure 1.). CONCLUSION: No significant differences in %LSI were observed, on average in patients with ACLR over time. However, it is clinically relevant to observe a lower proportion of patients performing repetitive squats less symmetrically later in the phases of rehabilitation. Future work should identify potential sources of compensatory movement patterns that may influence symmetry during functional movements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]