Functional Outcomes of Arthroscopic Partial Meniscectomy Versus Physical Therapy for Degenerative Meniscal Tears Using a Patient-Specific Score: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: It is unknown whether the treatment effects of partial meniscectomy and physical therapy differ when focusing on activities most valued by patients with degenerative meniscal tears.

Purpose: To compare partial meniscectomy with physical therapy in patients with a degenerative meniscal tear, focusing on patients' most important functional limitations as the outcome.

Study Design: Randomized controlled trial; Level of evidence, 1.

Cost-effectiveness of Early Surgery versus Conservative Treatment with Optional Delayed Meniscectomy for Patients over 45 years with non-obstructive meniscal tears (ESCAPE study): protocol of a randomised controlled trial.

Introduction: Recent studies show similar outcome between surgery and conservative treatment in patients with non-obstructive meniscal tears. However, surgery is still often preferred over conservative treatment. When conservative treatment is non-inferior to surgery, shifting the current standard treatment choice to conservative treatment alone could save over €30 millions of direct medical costs on an annual basis.

Evidence-based clinical practice update: practice guidelines for anterior cruciate ligament rehabilitation based on a systematic review and multidisciplinary consensus.

Aim: The Royal Dutch Society for Physical Therapy (KNGF) instructed a multidisciplinary group of Dutch anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) experts to develop an evidence statement for rehabilitation after ACL reconstruction.

Design: Clinical practice guideline underpinned by systematic review and expert consensus.

Data Sources: A multidisciplinary working group and steering group systematically reviewed the literature and wrote the guideline.

Variability in leg muscle power and hop performance after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.

Purpose: The purpose of this prospective study was to describe the variability in leg muscle power and hop performance up to 2 years among patients following ACL reconstruction and specifically to illustrate the effects of various criteria for an acceptable level of muscle function.

Methods: Eighty-two patients (56 men and 26 women)with a mean age of 28 years, who underwent ACL reconstruction using either hamstring tendons (n = 46) or a patellar tendon (n = 36), were assessed pre-operatively and 3, 6, 12 and 24 months post-surgery with a battery of three lower extremity muscle power tests and a battery of three hop tests.

Results: Leg symmetry index (LSI) values at group level ranged between 73 and 100% at all follow-ups.

Reliability of maximal isometric knee strength testing with modified hand-held dynamometry in patients awaiting total knee arthroplasty: useful in research and individual patient settings? A reliability study.

Background: Patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty (TKA) often experience strength deficits both pre- and post-operatively. As these deficits may have a direct impact on functional recovery, strength assessment should be performed in this patient population. For these assessments, reliable measurements should be used.

Muscle strength and functional performance in patients with anterior cruciate ligament injury treated with training and surgical reconstruction or training only: a two to five-year followup.

Objective: To study muscle strength and functional performance in patients with anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury with or without surgical reconstruction 2 to 5 years after injury. Good muscle function is important in preventing early-onset osteoarthritis (OA), but the role of reconstructive surgery in restoring muscle function is unclear.

Methods: Of 121 patients with ACL injury included in a randomized controlled trial on training and surgical reconstruction versus training only (the Knee, Anterior cruciate ligament, NON-surgical versus surgical treatment [KANON] study, ISRCTN: 84752559), 54 (mean age at followup 30 years, range 20-39, 28% women) were assessed a mean +/- SD of 3 +/- 0.

A test battery for evaluating hop performance in patients with an ACL injury and patients who have undergone ACL reconstruction.

The purpose of this study was to develop a test battery of hop tests with high ability to discriminate (i.e. high test-retest reliability, sensitivity, specificity and accuracy) between the hop performance of the injured and the uninjured side in patients with an ACL injury and in patients who have undergone ACL reconstruction.

Development of a strength test battery for evaluating leg muscle power after anterior cruciate ligament injury and reconstruction.

A more sports-specific and detailed strength assessment has been advocated for patients after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury and reconstruction. The purpose of this study was to develop a test battery of lower extremity strength tests with high ability to discriminate between leg power development on the injured and uninjured sides in patients after ACL injury and in patients who have undergone ACL reconstruction. Twenty-three patients were tested 6 months after ACL injury and 44 patients were tested 6 months after ACL reconstruction.