SynthesisBMC musculoskeletal disorders2023
Preoperative predictors for return to physical activity following anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR): a systematic review.
Synthesis in BMC musculoskeletal disorders, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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Who cites it
6 citing papers in PubMed.
- Inferior Outcomes after Subsequent Revision or Contralateral ACL Reconstruction: A Cross-Sectional Study.Orthopaedic journal of sports medicine · 2026Article
- Longitudinal Changes in Kinesiophobia, Psychological Readiness, and Knee Function Across Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Rehabilitation Phases.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- Relationship between Changes in Physical Activity and Knee Health 18 Months after ACL Reconstruction.Medicine and science in sports and exercise · 2025Article
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- Preoperative psychological competitive ability has little relationship with subjective knee function and return to sports at 6 months postoperatively in patients with anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.Asia-Pacific journal of sports medicine, arthroscopy, rehabilitation and technology · 2024Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
3 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundRates of return to physical activity after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction surgery are sub-optimal. Optimising presurgical treatment may improve return rates. The purpose of this systematic review was to identify modifiable preoperative predictors for return to physical activity after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.
methodsSeven electronic databases (CINAHL, MEDLINE and SPORTDiscus via EBSCOhost, AMED, PsycINFO and EMBASE via OVID and Web of Science) were searched from inception to 31 March 2023. The population of focus was adults aged 18-65 who had undergone primary anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. Studies needed to identify at least one potential modifiable preoperative predictor variable and the relationship between the predictor(s) and return to physical activity. All time-points of assessment and study designs were included. Data extraction was completed by one reviewer and verified by a second reviewer. Two reviewers completed the risk of bias assessment using the Quality in Prognostic Studies tool and Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation system.
resultsThe search identified 2281 studies, eight met the inclusion criteria. Five studies scored 'high', and three studies scored 'moderate' risk-of-bias. All preoperative predictors were of very low-quality evidence. Five different outcome measures were used to assess return to physical activity including Tegner, Marx, Physical Activity Scale, return to play at the elite level and return to preinjury level (undefined). This was measured between 1- and 10-years post-surgery. Nine preoperative physical, six psychosocial and five demographic/clinical factors were assessed and four were found to be predictive. These included quadriceps strength, psychological profile, patient estimated ability to return and graft type (patella tendon, BPTB).
conclusionVery-low level evidence suggests that increasing quadriceps strength, managing patient expectations of their treatment outcomes, improving motivation to resume preinjury activity levels and considering the use of a BPTB graft will support return to physical activity after ACLR.
trial registrationThis study was prospectively registered in PROSPERO: CRD 42020222567.
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