CRITERION-BASED REHABILITATION PROGRAM WITH RETURN TO SPORT TESTING FOLLOWING ACL RECONSTRUCTION: A CASE SERIES.

Background: Less than 50% of those sustaining an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury return to their preinjury level of sports participation or participate in competitive sport at two to seven years post ACL reconstruction (ACLR). After ACLR, it has been reported that frequency of subsequent ACL tears has reached as high as 31%.

Purpose: The purpose of this case series was to evaluate return to sport and reinjury rates following the use of a criterion-based rehabilitation protocol with a final return to sport test that utilizes minimal equipment following ACL reconstruction.

PATIENT-SPECIFIC AND SURGERY-SPECIFIC FACTORS THAT AFFECT RETURN TO SPORT AFTER ACL RECONSTRUCTION.

Context: Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction is frequently performed to allow individuals to return to their pre-injury levels of sports participation, however, return to pre-injury level of sport is poor and re-injury rates are unacceptably high. Re-injury is likely associated with the timeframe and guidelines for return to sport (RTS). It is imperative for clinicians to recognize risk factors for re-injury and to ensure that modifiable risk factors are addressed prior to RTS.