Short-term fear of movement improves less after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction with concomitant meniscus repair

David Werner; Alyx Jorgensen; Austin Post; Brittany Weaver; Matthew Tao; Christopher S Wichman; Elizabeth Wellsandt

doi:10.1016/j.ptsp.2023.12.003

Short-term fear of movement improves less after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction with concomitant meniscus repair

Phys Ther Sport. 2024 Jan:65:102-106. doi: 10.1016/j.ptsp.2023.12.003. Epub 2023 Dec 8.

Authors

David Werner¹, Alyx Jorgensen², Austin Post³, Brittany Weaver⁴, Matthew Tao⁵, Christopher S Wichman⁶, Elizabeth Wellsandt⁷

Affiliations

¹ Office of Graduate Studies, University of Nebraska Medical Center, USA; Physical Therapy Program, Department of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, College of Allied Health Professions, University of Nebraska Medical Center, USA. Electronic address: dwerner@unmc.edu.
² Office of Graduate Studies, University of Nebraska Medical Center, USA; Physical Therapy Program, Department of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, College of Allied Health Professions, University of Nebraska Medical Center, USA.
³ College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, USA.
⁴ Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, USA.
⁵ Physical Therapy Program, Department of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, College of Allied Health Professions, University of Nebraska Medical Center, USA; Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, USA.
⁶ Department of Biostatistics, College of Public Health, University of Nebraska Medical Center, USA.
⁷ Physical Therapy Program, Department of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, College of Allied Health Professions, University of Nebraska Medical Center, USA; Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, USA. Electronic address: elizabeth.wellsandt@unmc.edu.

PMID: 38103357
DOI: 10.1016/j.ptsp.2023.12.003

Abstract

Background: Psychological response is important in return-to-sport decisions for athletes recovering from anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR). The purpose of this study was to compare psychological response after ACLR with a concomitant meniscus repair compared to isolated ACLR.

Methods: Thirty-five individuals completed the Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia (TSK) and Anterior Cruciate Ligament Return-to-Sport after Injury (ACL-RSI) scale before ACLR and 2, 4, and 6 months after ACLR. Participants were dichotomized based on presence of concomitant meniscus repair (Yes/No). Separate group X time repeated measures analyses of variance were conducted for both scales.

Results: Participants were 65.7% female, 19.1 ± 4.7 years old with BMI of 24.9 ± 4.4 kg/m². Sixteen individuals had an isolated ACLR with 19 individuals having an ACLR with concomitant meniscus repair. For the TSK, there was a group × time interaction effect(p = 0.028), with improvement in TSK scores for the isolated ACLR group (ACLR:2 months = 24.8 ± 3.7; 4 months = 22.0 ± 5.7; 6 months: 19.9 ± 5.9; Meniscus Repair:2 months = 25.5 ± 4.7; 4 months = 24.1 ± 5.0; 6 months: 23.8 ± 4.7). Six months after ACLR, TSK scores were worse in the meniscus repair group(p = 0.036). For the ACL-RSI, there was no interaction(p = 0.07).

Conclusion: Concomitant meniscus repair with ACLR results in less post-operative improvement in kinesiophobia through 6 months after ACLR compared to isolated ACLR.

Keywords: ACL-RSI; Confidence; TSK; psychological readiness.

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Adult
Anterior Cruciate Ligament / surgery
Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries* / psychology
Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries* / surgery
Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction* / psychology
Female
Humans
Kinesiophobia
Male
Meniscus* / surgery
Return to Sport / psychology
Young Adult