ArticleKnee surgery, sports traumatology, arthroscopy : official journal of the ESSKA2021
Patients unable to return to play following medial patellofemoral ligament reconstructions demonstrate poor psychological readiness.
Article in Knee surgery, sports traumatology, arthroscopy : official journal of the ESSKA, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 25 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
25 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 34 citations in OpenAlex.
- The utility of psychological readiness scales in predicting return to sport: a systematic review.BMC psychology · 2025Pooled it
- Rehabilitation Protocols Following Patellar Instability Surgery: A Structured Review of Published Recommendations and AI Generated Guidance.Current reviews in musculoskeletal medicine · 2026Review
- Patient-specific psychological characteristics and personality structure affect functional outcomes after surgical stabilization of acute and chronic acromioclavicular joint injuries.Knee surgery, sports traumatology, arthroscopy : official journal of the ESSKA · 2026Article
- Validation of the ACL Return to Sport after Injury (ACL-RSI) Scale in Pediatric and Adolescent Patients After Medial Patellofemoral Ligament Reconstruction.Orthopaedic journal of sports medicine · 2026Article
- Prospective comparative analysis from pre- to postoperative changes in Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation (SANE) for patellofemoral instability.Journal of experimental orthopaedics · 2026Article
- Preoperative kinesophobia affects self-perceived knee function and quality of life after patellar stabilising surgery.Journal of experimental orthopaedics · 2026Article
- Comparative Outcomes of Return to Sports After Bilateral Versus Unilateral Medial Patellofemoral Ligament Reconstruction With FiberTape and Knotless SwiveLock Anchors in Young Athletes.Orthopaedic journal of sports medicine · 2026Article
- Favourable mid- to long-term clinical and functional outcomes and low redislocation rates following derotational distal femoral osteotomy for the treatment of recurrent patellofemoral instability.Journal of experimental orthopaedics · 2026Article
- Sex-based differences in outcomes after surgical management of patellar instability.Bulletin of the Hospital for Joint Disease (2013) · 2025Article
- Patient-specific psychological characteristics and personality structure affect post-operative outcomes and readiness to return to sport following medial patellofemoral ligament reconstruction.Journal of experimental orthopaedics · 2025Article
- Patients undergoing medial patellofemoral ligament reconstruction return to sport sooner and at a higher level than those undergoing concomitant tibial tubercle osteotomy.Journal of experimental orthopaedics · 2025Article
- Psychological readiness for return to sport following distal femoral osteotomy in patients with recurrent patellar instability.BMC musculoskeletal disorders · 2025Article
- Higher incidence of postoperative complications in patients with simultaneous patellar tendon and anterior cruciate ligament ruptures following single surgery: a case series and literature review.BMC musculoskeletal disorders · 2025Review
- Research Progress on Return to Sport After Surgery for Lateral Patellar Dislocation.Orthopedic reviews · 2025Article
- A Landscape of Recent Literature on the Predictors of Success and Failure in Medial Patellofemoral Ligament Reconstruction.Orthopedic reviews · 2025Article
- Current Concept Review: Medial Patellofemoral Ligament Reconstruction: From Rehabilitation to Return to Sport.International journal of sports physical therapy · 2025Article
- Variable Guidelines for Pediatric Medial Patellofemoral Ligament Reconstruction Rehabilitation Exists Across PRiSM Member Organizations.HSS journal : the musculoskeletal journal of Hospital for Special Surgery · 2024Review
- Patellofemoral Instability in Pediatric and Adolescent Athletes: A Review of Risk Factors and Treatments.HSS journal : the musculoskeletal journal of Hospital for Special Surgery · 2024Article
- Rehabilitation after surgery for patellar instability.Journal of experimental orthopaedics · 2024Article
- Ankle ligament reconstruction-return to sport after injury scale and return to sports after ankle ligament reconstruction or repair-A systematic review.Journal of experimental orthopaedics · 2024Review
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
8 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
purposeMedial patellofemoral ligament reconstruction (MPFLR) is often indicated in athletes with lateral patellar instability to prevent recurrence and allow for a successful return to play. In this patient population, the ability to return to play is one of the most important clinical outcomes. The purpose of the current study was to analyze the characteristics of patients who were unable return to play following MPFL reconstruction.
methodsA retrospective review of patients who underwent MPFL reconstruction and subsequently did not return to play after a minimum of 12-months of follow-up was performed. Patients were evaluated for their psychological readiness to return to sport using the MPFL-Return to Sport after Injury (MPFL-RSI) score, which is a modification of the ACL-RSI score. A MPFL-RSI score > 56 is considered a passing score for being psychologically ready to return to play. Additionally, reasons for not returning to play including Visual Analog Scale for pain (VAS), Kujala score, satisfaction, and recurrent instability (including dislocations and subluxations) were evaluated.
resultsThe study included a total of 35 patients who were unable to return to play out of a total cohort of 131 patients who underwent MPFL reconstruction as treatment for patellar instability. Overall, 60% were female with a mean age of 24.5, and a mean follow-up of 38 months. Nine patients (25.7%) passed the MPFL-RSI benchmark of 56 with a mean overall score of 44.2 ± 21.8. The most common primary reasons for not returning to play were 14 were afraid of re-injury, 9 cited other lifestyle factors, 5 did not return due to continued knee pain, 5 were not confident in their ability to perform, and 2 did not return due to a feeling of instability. The mean VAS score was 1.9 ± 2.3, the mean Kujala score was 82.5 ± 14.6, and the mean satisfaction was 76.9%. Three patients (8.7%) reported experiencing a patellar subluxation event post-operatively. No patient sustained a post-operative patellar dislocation.
conclusionFollowing MPFL reconstruction, patients that do not return to play exhibit poor psychological readiness with the most common reason being fear of re-injury. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: IV.
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