Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction and Postoperative
The study presented has been designed to determine the relationship between athletic identity and sport engagement and return to sport (RTS) status in athletes after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR).
Post-ACLR
Thirty-nine participants, aged 8-24 months, were included in this cross-sectional study, and measures included the Exercise Identity Measurement Scale and the Sport Commitment Scale.
Additionally, the Tampas Scale of Kinesiophobia and the ACL- Return to Sport after Injury Scale were used to measure kinesiophobia and psychological readiness.
Subjects were classified as Yes-RTS or No-RTS based on two questions to determine whether they returned to sport at the same level of competition as before the injury, and data were analyzed using Chi-square tests, Fisher's direct probability tests, unpaired t-tests, and Mann-Whitney U-tests.
Results.
The RTS group scored significantly higher on the Motor Identity Measure Scale (P = .023), the Sports Commitment Scale (P = .027), and the ACL-Return to Sport
After Injury Scale (P = .002), and the Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia Score (P = .014) were significantly lower compared to the group without RTS.
The conclusion was that athletes who underwent reconstructive surgery and returned to competition had less exercise phobia and a higher commitment to sport than those who did not.
Ohji, S., Aizawa, J., Hirohata, K. et al. Athletic identity and sport commitment in athletes after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction who have returned to sports at their pre-injury level of competition. BMC Sports Sci Med Rehabil 13, 37 (2021). Available at: https://doi.org/10.1186/s13102-021-00264-6
Summary
In this study, athletes who underwent reconstructive surgery after anterior cruciate ligament injury returned to competition at their pre-injury level of competition with similar performance and less exercise phobia. However, reconstructive surgery is not a godsend, as only 63% of those who underwent reconstructive surgery returned to competition.
It also said that the progress of rehabilitation is a factor in whether or not a person can return to work, and that those who adhere to home exercise and self-care are more likely to have adequate progress.
You might think that this is true in general, but some people feel like they can't do anything when they are injured, and even casual walking can make it difficult to take a step. Since rehabilitation is more of a gradual process than an all-at-once process, we know that the results of this study can be replicated by following an appropriately constructed plan, sharing it, and proceeding one step at a time.
However, please note that the sample size is small, so the numbers obtained by this study are not absolute.
