scholarly journals Return to Sport After ACL Reconstruction: Strength and Functionality Testing

2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (5) ◽  
pp. 263502542110405
Author(s):  
Simon J. Padanilam ◽  
Steven R. Dayton ◽  
Ryan Jarema ◽  
Michael J. Boctor ◽  
Vehniah K. Tjong

Background: Functionality testing following anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction can benefit clinicians and patients in determining readiness for return to sport. While a component of a multifactorial decision, inability to perform well on these tests predicts increased risk of reinjury. As of 2013, only 41% of orthopaedic surgeons report using strength or functionality testing in evaluating patients for return to sport (RTS). Indications: In the intermediate to late stages of their rehabilitation program, patients may undergo these tests to determine readiness and safety to return to sport. Technique Description: The tests described in this video include the single and triple hop for distance, triple crossover hop, single and double vertical leg jump tasks, drop jump landing task, and isokinetic and isometric strength testing. Results: Clinicians who incorporate these tests into patient rehabilitation programs may reduce patient risk of ACL reinjury by 75% to 84%. The limb symmetry index (LSI) is a reliable calculated measure for these tests, with a strong reliability for the hop tests. The limb symmetry index can be calculated for each test and represents the ratio of measured performance of the involved, or post-ACL reconstruction, leg when compared against the uninvolved leg. The commonly used limb symmetry index threshold for passing each hop test is 90%. Patients who score 90% or greater on each of these tests are less likely to experience knee reinjury. Discussion/Conclusion: The ability of knee strength and functionality tests in determining RTS following ACL reconstruction has been highlighted as a tool in potentially reducing risk of knee reinjury. Other isometric and isokinetic testing can be used in addition to the described functionality tests but may not be possible in certain practices due to equipment and funding limitations. Usage of these strength and functionality tests, in conjunction with clinician evaluation, may lead to more optimal outcomes for patients and lower rates of reinjury. Psychological assessment may aid in evaluating patient readiness for return to sport. Importantly, further sport-specific testing is still recommended and will optimize patient outcomes.

2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (10) ◽  
pp. 696-704
Author(s):  
Alexandre J.M. Rambaud ◽  
Jérémy Rossi ◽  
Thomas Neri ◽  
Pierre Samozino ◽  
Pascal Edouard

AbstractThe purpose of this study was to evaluate improvements in functional performance through the use of the Limb Symmetry Index of Single and Triple Hop tests between 12 and 52 weeks after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction, and to compare these values with usual time-based and performance-based criteria used during the return to sport continuum. Repeated functional assessments using Single and Triple Hop Tests at 12, 16, 22, 26, 39 and 52 postoperative weeks were evaluated. At each session, the median and interquartile range of Limb Symmetry Index of tests were calculated and compared with the usual criteria: return to participation:≥85%, between 12–16 w; return to play:≥90%, between 26–39 w. The results indicate that the median increased over time to 39 postoperative weeks and then stabilized. For Single Hop Test, wide variability was seen at 12 and 16 weeks (interquartile range=20%); this was lower from 22 to 52 weeks (interquartile range=8–6%). At 12 weeks for Single Hop Test, the median was 83.6% and did not meet>85% criteria for return to participation. Hop tests could be interesting functional tests to follow the functional recovery and help decision-making regarding return to participation and return to play.


2007 ◽  
Vol 87 (3) ◽  
pp. 337-349 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea Reid ◽  
Trevor B Birmingham ◽  
Paul W Stratford ◽  
Greg K Alcock ◽  
J Robert Giffin

Background and Purpose Although various hop tests have been proposed as performance-based outcome measures following anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction, limited reports of their measurement properties exist. The purpose of this study was to investigate the reliability and longitudinal validity of data obtained from hop tests during rehabilitation after ACL reconstruction. Subjects Forty-two patients, 15 to 45 years of age, who had undergone ACL reconstruction participated in the study. Methods and Measures The study design was prospective and observational with repeated measures. The subjects performed a series of 4 hop tests on 3 separate occasions within the 16th week following surgery and on a fourth occasion 6 weeks later. The tests were a single hop for distance, a 6-m timed hop, a triple hop for distance, and crossover hops for distance. Performance on the ACL-reconstructed limb was expressed as a percentage of the performance on the nonoperative limb, termed the “limb symmetry index.” Subjects also completed the Lower Extremity Functional Scale and a global rating of change questionnaire. Results Intraclass correlation coefficients for limb symmetry index values ranged from .82 to .93. Standard errors of measurement were 3.04% to 5.59%. Minimal detectable changes, at the 90% confidence level, were 7.05% to 12.96%. Changes in hop test scores on the operative limb were statistically greater than changes on the nonoperative limb. Pearson correlations (r) between change in hop performances and self-reported measures ranged from .26 to .58. Discussion and Conclusion The results show that the described series of hop tests provide a reliable and valid performance-based outcome measure for patients undergoing rehabilitation following ACL reconstruction. These findings support the use and facilitate the interpretation of hop tests for research and clinical practice.


2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (6_suppl3) ◽  
pp. 2325967118S0004
Author(s):  
F García-Bol ◽  
V Posada-Franco ◽  
A Roldán-Valero ◽  
R Del Caño-Espinel

Hop Tests (unipodal horizontal jumps) have been recommended as one of the reliable assessment tests when allowing a return to competition for a sportsperson after an anterior cruciate ligament injury1,2,3,4. Currently, comparison is made of the results with the contralateral limb through the symmetry index, a method which might not provide sufficient security upon the return to competitive sport5. Hop tests can be used in preseason to gain reference values prior to a possible injury. The objective of this review is to analise the scientific literature such as the F-Marc6 (reference manual of FIFA) to confirm whether include said tests in preseason for football teams. A search was conducted in the Pubmed y Cochrane databases (17/04/17) with the search terms “Hop Test”, “Football”, “Soccer”, and “Preseason”. Articles in English and Spanish were both accepted. Articles excluded were those that did not make reference to the knee, to football, and those that did not conduct tests during preseason. From a total of 33 articles, 4 with these search criteria were included, 5 articles were added trough the bibliography of other studies, and the F-Marc manual was analised. 4 of the articles used the hop tests in preseason for some type of study, of which 3 were used as part of a prospective assessment for the season. On the other hand, the F-Marc does not consider Hop Tests as an assessment test. Hop tests were not found to be used in preseason as reference values prior to possible future injuries, data which could be beneficial for a safe return to sport. Harris J, Abrams G, Bach B, Williams D, Heidloff D, Bush-Joseph C, Verma N, Forsythe B, Cole B. Return to Sport After ACL Reconstruction. ORTHOPEDICS. 2014; 37: e103-e108. Barber-Westin SD, Noyes FR. Factors used to determine return to unrestricted sports activities after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. Arthroscopy. 2011 Dec;27(12):1697-705. Thomeé R, Kaplan Y, Kvist J, Myklebust G, Risberg MA, Theisen D, Tsepis E, Werner S, Wondrasch B, Witvrouw E. Muscle strength and hop performance criteria prior to return to sports after ACL reconstruction. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc. 2011 Nov;19(11):1798-805. Bolgla LA, Keskula DR. Reliability of lower extremity functional performance tests. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 1997 Sep;26(3):138-42. Wellsandt E, Failla MJ, Snyder-Mackler L. Limb Symmetry Indexes Can Overestimate Knee Function After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2017 Mar 29:1-18. F-MARC. Football Medicine Manual. 2nd Edition. Available from: http://f-marc.com . 2017.


2020 ◽  
pp. 1-10
Author(s):  
Damien Murphy ◽  
Quinette A. Louw ◽  
Colum Moloney ◽  
Dominique Leibbrandt ◽  
Amanda M. Clifford

Purpose: Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries are among the most severe injuries in the Gaelic Athletic Association. Hop tests measure functional performance after ACL reconstruction as they replicate the key requirements for a match situation. However, research examining functional recovery of ACL-reconstructed Gaelic athletes is lacking. The objective of this study is to determine if athletes restore normal hop symmetry after ACL reconstruction and to examine if bilateral deficiencies persist in hop performance following return to sport. Methods: A cross-sectional design was used to evaluate hop performance of 30 ACL-reconstructed Gaelic athletes who had returned to competition and 30 uninjured controls in a battery of hop tests including a single, 6-m, triple, and triple-crossover hop test. Results: In each test, the mean symmetry score of the ACL reconstruction group was above the cutoff for normal performance of 90% adopted by this study (98%, 99%, 97%, and 99% for the single, 6-m, triple, and triple-crossover hop, respectively). No significant differences in absolute hop scores emerged between involved and control limbs, with the exception of the single-hop test where healthy dominant limbs hopped significantly further than ACL-reconstructed dominant limbs (P = .02). No significant deficits were identified on the noninvolved side. Conclusions: The majority of ACL-reconstructed Gaelic athletes demonstrate normal levels of hop symmetry after returning to competition. Suboptimal hop performance can persist on the involved side compared with control limbs. Targeted rehabilitation may be warranted after returning to competition to restore performance to levels of healthy uninjured athletes.


Author(s):  
Christophe Lambert ◽  
Thomas Pfeiffer ◽  
Maxime Lambert ◽  
Benedikt Brozat ◽  
Daniel Lachmann ◽  
...  

AbstractSide differences in the limb symmetry index during hop tests have been rarely investigated in uninjured athletes. Unknown differences can result in false interpretation of hop tests and affect return to sport decision. Hypothesis was that un-injured athletes in Judo and Taekwondo have side differences in hop test and that asymmetries can be predicted based on the athletes fighting display. Differences, risk relationships were analyzed using the chi-squared test and the odds ratio. A two-tailed p value of<0.05 was considered statistically significant. 115 athletes from the national teams were included (mean age 18.4 years; range 13–27 years). 93, 97.4 and 98.3% did not have symmetric hop distance for three hop tests. Up to a quarter did not reach a limb symmetry index of>90. Moreover, 57.4% (n=66) reached longer jumping distance with the standing leg. Ignoring such pre-existent side differences in evaluation of hop tests and not knowing which limb was dominant prior the injury, can lead to premature or delayed return to sports in the rehabilitation process. Therefore, it might be helpful to refer to individual jump lengths for each limb in case of injury by using hop tests in pre-season screening in professional athletes in Judo and Taekwondo.


Author(s):  
Sai K. Devana ◽  
Carlos Solorzano ◽  
Benedict Nwachukwu ◽  
Kristofer J. Jones

Abstract Purpose of Review Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture is a common injury that has important clinical and economic implications. We aimed to review the literature to identify gender, racial and ethnic disparities in incidence, treatment, and outcomes of ACL injury. Recent Findings Females are at increased risk for ACL injury compared to males. Intrinsic differences such as increased quadriceps angle and increased posterior tibial slope may be contributing factors. Despite lower rates of injury, males undergo ACL reconstruction (ACLR) more frequently. There is conflicting evidence regarding gender differences in graft failure and ACL revision rates, but males demonstrate higher return to sport (RTS) rates. Females report worse functional outcome scores and have worse biomechanical metrics following ACLR. Direct evidence of racial and ethnic disparities is limited, but present. White athletes have greater risk of ACL injury compared to Black athletes. Non-White and Spanish-speaking patients are less likely to undergo ACLR after ACL tear. Black and Hispanic youth have greater surgical delay to ACLR, increased risk for loss to clinical follow-up, and less physical therapy sessions, thereby leading to greater deficits in knee extensor strength during rehabilitation. Hispanic and Black patients also have greater risk for hospital admission after ACLR, though this disparity is improving. Summary Females have higher rates of ACL injury with inconclusive evidence on anatomic predisposition and ACL failure rate differences between genders. Recent literature has suggested inferior RTS and functional outcomes following ACLR in females. Though there is limited and mixed data on incidence and outcome differences between races and ethnic groups, recent studies suggest there may be disparities in those who undergo ACLR and time to treatment.


2020 ◽  
Vol 55 (1) ◽  
pp. 23-29
Author(s):  
Paul Read ◽  
Sean Mc Auliffe ◽  
Mathew G Wilson ◽  
Gregory D Myer

Background/aimThere is a lack of consistency in return to sport (RTS) assessments, in particular hop tests to predict who will sustain a reinjury following anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. Inconsistent test battery content and methodological heterogeneity might contribute to variable associations between hop test performance and subsequent injury. Our aim was to investigate whether commonly used hop tests are administered in a consistent manner and in accordance with reported guidelines.MethodsWe conducted a narrative review of studies that examined whether hop testing could differentiate RTS pass rates, reinjury and rerupture in athletes after ACL reconstruction. Our specific focus was on the methodological procedures of hop testing as this component is widely used to evaluate patients’ function and readiness to RTS.Main findingsSubstantial variation exists in RTS hop test administration, scoring and interpretation. Authors often failed to report important details of methods such as warm up activities, randomisation, number of trials, rest periods and landing requirements.ConclusionWe recommend researchers provide clearer descriptions of how hop tests are performed to increase standardisation and promote accurate data collection. Absence of reporting to describe test methods and using different test procedures makes it difficult to compare study findings.


2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (8) ◽  
pp. 232596711878804 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kate E. Webster ◽  
Julian A. Feller

Background: Return to sport (RTS) after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction is a topic of current interest. The high reinjury rates reported in younger athletes may be due in part to an early RTS. Purpose: To determine the proportion of athletes who return to level I (jumping, hard pivoting, and cutting) sport at less than 1 year after ACL reconstruction and compare return rates by age and sex. A secondary purpose was to examine whether RTS is associated with some commonly used outcome criteria. Methods: A cohort of 1440 athletes (992 males, 448 females) satisfied criteria for inclusion in this study (primary ACL reconstruction, normal contralateral knee, no additional surgery within the first year after the reconstruction, and participation in level I sport on a weekly basis prior to injury). The proportion of athletes in this sample who had resumed level I sport by 12 months after surgery was recorded, along with measurements of knee function (single-legged hop symmetry), laxity (KT-1000 arthrometer), and self-reported outcomes (International Knee Documentation Committee [IKDC] subjective score). Limb symmetry index scores of 90 or higher, side-to-side difference in anterior knee laxity of 2 mm or less, and IKDC scores of 95 or higher were considered indicators of satisfactory recovery from surgery. Results: Rates of return to level I sport were significantly higher for athletes aged 25 years and younger (48% return rate) compared with older athletes (26-35 years, 32% return rate [ P < .0001]; ≥36 years, 19% return rate [ P < .001]). Male athletes who were in the ≤25-year and 26- to 35-year age brackets had significantly higher return rates than female athletes (52% vs 39% and 37% vs 18%, respectively), whereas no sex-based differences in RTS were seen after 36 years of age. A significantly higher proportion of younger patients met the selected indicators of a satisfactory recovery. Regardless of age, athletes had twice the odds of RTS if they had limb symmetry index scores of 90 or higher ( P ≤ .0001) and 3 times the odds of RTS if they had IKDC scores of 95 or higher ( P < .0001). Conclusion: Almost half of younger athletes (aged ≤25 years) in the current cohort returned to level I sports within 12 months after ACL reconstruction. Younger athletes were also more likely to meet criteria that indicate a satisfactory functional recovery and that have been used to indicate readiness to RTS. There may be a role for adjusting thresholds for these criteria based on age.


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (7_suppl3) ◽  
pp. 2325967121S0004
Author(s):  
David A. Kolin ◽  
Brody Dawkins ◽  
Joshua Park ◽  
Peter D. Fabricant ◽  
Allison Gilmore ◽  
...  

Background: Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears are frequently associated with meniscal tears. Previous studies have shown that secondary meniscal tears—occurring after the initial ACL injury—are associated with greater delays from injury to ACL reconstruction (ACLR), but frequently use dichotomous categories of acute versus delayed ACLR. Purpose: As meniscal damage is likely accrued constantly over time, we investigated the variability of concurrent meniscal injuries as a function of time from injury to ACLR in a pediatric and adolescent population. Methods: We performed a retrospective review of all patients ≤18 years who underwent an ACLR between 2014 and 2018 at one of two tertiary academic hospitals. Outliers were excluded if time from injury to ACLR was greater than 78 weeks. Records were reviewed to assess patients’ dates of injury and surgery. The prevalence of concurrent medial and/or lateral meniscal injury was evaluated at the time of surgery for each patient. Adjusted relative risks (ARRs) of meniscal injury were calculated using Poisson regression models adjusted for age, sex, and body-mass index. Logistic regression was used to model the predicted probability of medial meniscal tears. Results: 546 patients met inclusion criteria. The mean age of participants was 15.3 years (S.D., 1.6), and 277 (50.7%) patients were male. Overall, 344 (63.0%) patients had a meniscal tear. 169 (49.1%) tears occurred at the medial meniscus, and 257 (74.7%) occurred at the lateral meniscus (Table 1). Compared to females, males had a greater risk of lateral meniscal injury (ARR, 1.46; 95% CI, 1.20-1.77) but not medial meniscal injury (ARR, 1.01; 95% CI, 0.77-1.31) (Figure 1). When considering all meniscal tears, time from injury to ACLR was not associated with increased risk of a tear (ARR, 1.01; 95% CI, 1.00-1.01). However, for medial meniscal tears, there was a significant association between time from injury to ACLR, in weeks, and meniscal tears (ARR, 1.02; 95% CI, 1.01-1.03, P = 0.003). A ten-week delay was associated with a 20% increased risk of medial meniscal injury (Figure 2). Conclusion: In pediatric and adolescent ACLR patients, the risk of any meniscal injury was not associated with delay from injury to surgery. However, the risk of medial meniscal injury increased by 2% each week from injury to surgery. [Table: see text][Figure: see text][Figure: see text]


Author(s):  
Brooke Farmer ◽  
Dillon Anderson ◽  
Dimitrios Katsavelis ◽  
Jennifer J. Bagwell ◽  
Kimberly A. Turman ◽  
...  

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