Summary
Most patients returned to sport after ACL reconstruction. Gender, age, timing of surgery, concomitant injuries and graft type influenced return to sport rates.
Abstract
Introduction
Return to sport is one of the most important outcomes after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. A lack of large cohort data has resulted in significant variation in the reported rates of return to sport. This study aimed to present return to sport rates following ACL reconstruction in New Zealand.
Methods
A questionnaire was sent to patients recorded in the New Zealand ACL Registry who underwent ACL reconstruction between 2017-2022 with a minimum follow-up of 2-years. Patients were asked whether they had returned to any level of sport following surgery. Patient and surgical data were extracted from the Registry. Univariate Chi-square test and multivariable binary logistic regression were performed to compute adjusted odds ratios (aOR).
Results
2870 patients were analyzed, of which 68.6% reported that they had returned to sport following surgery (n = 1968), while 18.6% reported they had not returned (n = 535). 367 patients reported that returning to sport was not the goal of surgery. Excluding these patients improved the return to sport rate to 78.6%. A greater odds of return to sport was reported by male patients (aOR = 1.6, p<0.001), younger patients (aOR = 2.0, p<0.001 in age =20 years, aOR = 1.6, p<0.001 in age 21-30 years) and patients who underwent earlier surgery (aOR = 1.3, p=0.005). Return to sport was lower with a grade 3-4 chondral injury (aOR = 0.7, p=0.03) and in patients with a medial meniscal tear that was resected rather than repaired (aOR = 0.7, p=0.04). When compared to the hamstring tendon autograft, a greater odds of return to sport was reported by patients with a patellar tendon autograft (aOR = 1.3, p=0.03).
Discussion/Conclusion:
Most patients returned to sport after ACL reconstruction. Gender, age, timing of surgery, concomitant injuries and graft type influenced return to sport rates.