Characteristics of return to running programs following an anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: A scoping review of 64 studies with clinical perspectives.

To (1) describe return to running (RTR) programs used during rehabilitation after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR); and (2) provide clinical guidelines for RTR program after ACLR. Scoping review. We searched the MEDLINE (Pubmed), EMBASE, Web of Science and PEDro databases. We included randomized controlled trial (RCT), cases series, meta-analyses, both scoping and systematic reviews including a rehabilitation program after ACLR with a specific RTR program. A "Running program checklist" (RPC) was elaborated based on the Template for Intervention Description and Replication (TIDieR), and on the Consensus on Exercise Reporting Template (CERT) checklist. The percentage and number of studies specifying each of the running program checklist items in their RTR program were reported. Number of items reported in each study and specific analysis item-by-item were also proposed. The "When (2)" item was the most frequently found (92.19%) and, conversely, the "Who (1)" item appeared only in four studies (6.2%). One-third of the studies presented only one item of the RPC, and 48 of the 64 articles discussed less than three items. Two studies described in detail their RTR program by reporting 8 and 9 items out of the 10, respectively. No study presented 10 of the PRC items. There is a serious lack of information concerning RTR program following ACLR in the literature and further studies are needed to establish a program based on the best evidence. • Return-to-running phase is a crucial part of the ACLR rehabilitation. • Studies provide few information about the return-to-running phase after ACL. • Clinical guideline for return-to-running program after ACLR is required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]