International Journal of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation
Open Access
ISSN: 2329-9096
+44 1300 500008
ISSN: 2329-9096
+44 1300 500008
Khodor Haidar Hassan, Mohammed A Fakhro and Nancy Wehbe
Lebanese University, Lebanon
Lebanese German University, Lebanon
Posters & Accepted Abstracts: Int J Phys Med Rehabil
Background & Purpose: After an anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR), athletes return to full sports activities based on a clinical decision following postoperative rehabilitation. The purpose of this study was to find if clinical decision to release athletes back to unrestricted sports activities after ACLR matches the findings of objective criteria of muscle strength and lower limb symmetry. Methods: The study used a cross-sectional observational design. 32 athletes who were released within 1 to 7 months for full sports activities were recruited from Lebanese 1st, 2nd and 3rd sports divisions. Participants performed a battery of tests including: Knee extension/flexion, single leg press to assess muscle strength and single leg hop, triple hop, cross-over hop, timed hop and single hop after fatigue for distance to assess lower limb symmetry. Results: Demographic results showed that mean age of participants was 24.37 years. Bone-patellar tendon bone (BPTP) autograft was the most used surgical technique for ACLR. 10 athletes passed the muscle strength testing, whereas 12 athletes had passed that of lower limb symmetry. Therefore, only 18.75% (6 athletes) out of 32 could be released back to full sports activities following the combined testing of muscle strength and lower limb symmetry, whereas, they all had been released previously for full sports activities based on clinical decisions. Discussion: Despite that athletes have been released by a clinical decision in a range of 1 to 7 months, there were still significant deficit in muscle strength and lower limb symmetry. The results of this study show noteworthy problems in muscle strength and lower limb symmetry following ACLR. Use of objectives criteria might be a useful adjunct to clinical decision before release of athletes to unrestricted sports activities.
Email: drkhodorhaidar@hotmail.com