Autograft type affects muscle strength and hop performance after ACL reconstruction. A randomised controlled trial comparing patellar tendon and hamstring tendon autografts with standard or accelerated rehabilitation.

PURPOSE: To evaluate and compare changes in quadriceps and hamstring strength and single-leg-hop (SLH) test performance over the first 24 postoperative months in patients who underwent anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) with bone-patellar tendon-bone (BPTB) or hamstring tendon (HT) autografts and followed either a standard or an accelerated rehabilitation protocol. METHODS: A total of 160 patients undergoing ACLR were randomised in four groups depending on the graft that was used and the rehabilitation protocol (40 BPTB/standard rehab, 40 BPTB/accelerated rehab, 40 HT/standard rehab, 40 HT/accelerated rehab). Isokinetic concentric quadriceps and hamstring strength at 90°/s and the SLH test performance were assessed preoperatively and 4,6,8,12 and 24 months postoperatively. The results were reported as the limb symmetry index (LSI) at the same time point. Linear mixed models were used to compare the groups at the different time points. RESULTS: An average quadriceps strength LSI of 78.4% was found preoperatively. After ACLR, the LSI first decreased at 4 months and then increased from 6 to 24 months, reaching an overall value of 92.7% at the latest follow-up. The BPTB group showed a significantly decreased LSI at 4, 6, 8 and 12 months compared with the HT group. No significant differences between the graft groups were found at 24 months. An average hamstring strength LSI of 84.6% was found preoperatively. After ACLR, the LSI increased from 4 to 24 months in the BTPB group. In the HT group, the LSI first decreased at 4 months and then increased from 6 to 24 months. An LSI of 97.1% and 89.1% was found at the latest follow-up for the BPTB and the HT group, respectively. The HT group showed a significantly decreased LSI at all follow-ups compared with the BPTB group. An average SLH test LSI of 81% was found preoperatively. After ACLR, the LSI increased from 4 to 24 months, reaching 97.6% overall at the latest follow-up. The BPTB group showed a significantly decreased LSI only at 4 months postoperatively compared with the HT group. No significant differences in any of the three tests were found between the standard and accelerated rehabilitation groups for either of the graft groups at any time point. CONCLUSION: Muscle strength and SLH test performance recovered progressively after ACLR overall, but they did not all fully recover, as the injured leg performed on average less than 100% compared with the uninjured leg even 24 months postoperatively. After ACLR, inferior quadriceps strength and a poorer SLH test performance were found at 4, 6, 8 and 12 months and at 4 months, respectively, for the BTPB group compared with the HT group. Persistent, inferior hamstring strength was found at all postoperative follow-ups in the HT group. Rehabilitation, standard or accelerated, had no significant impact on the recovery of muscle strength and SLH test performance after ACLR in any of the graft groups. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level I.

Is arthroscopic surgery beneficial in treating non-traumatic, degenerative medial meniscal tears? A five year follow-up.

PURPOSE: The aim of this prospective randomized intervention study was to evaluate the outcome at a 2 and 5 year follow-up whether combined arthroscopic surgery followed by exercise therapy was superior to the same exercise therapy alone when treating non-traumatic, degenerative medial meniscal tears. METHODS: Ninety-six middle-aged patients with MRI-verified degenerative medial meniscus tear and radiographic osteoarthritis grade ≤1 (Ahlbäck) participated in the study. Radiographic examination was done before randomization and after 5 years. The patients were randomly assigned to either arthroscopic treatment followed by exercise therapy for 2 months or to the same exercise therapy alone. At the start of the study and at the follow-ups at 24 and 60 months the patients answered three questionnaires KOOS, Lysholm Knee Scoring Scale and Tegner Activity Scale and made pain ratings on the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). RESULTS: Both groups showed highly significant clinical improvements from baseline to the follow-ups at 24 and 60 months on all subscales of KOOS, Lysholm Knee Scoring Scale and VAS (p < 0.0001). No group differences were found at any of the testing occasions. One third of the patients that were treated with exercise therapy alone did not feel better after the treatment but were improved after arthroscopic surgery. According to radiographic findings two patients from each group had a slight progression of their osteoarthritis after 5 years. CONCLUSION: The findings indicate that arthroscopic surgery followed by exercise therapy was not superior to the same exercise therapy alone for this type of patients. Consequently, exercise therapy can be recommended as initial treatment. However, one third of the patients from the exercise group still had disabling knee symptoms after exercise therapy but improved to the same level as the rest of the patients after arthroscopic surgery with partial meniscectomy. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: I.

Arthroscopic or conservative treatment of degenerative medial meniscal tears: a prospective randomised trial.

In this prospective randomised study two treatments after non-traumatic medial meniscal tear diagnosed with radiological examination and magnetic resonance imaging were compared; arthroscopic partial meniscectomy followed by supervised exercise or supervised exercise alone. The aim was to evaluate knee function and physical activity. Ninety patients (mean age 56 years) were evaluated using the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score, the Lysholm Knee Scoring Scale, the Tegner Activity Scale and a Visual Analogue Scale for knee pain prior to the intervention, after 8 weeks of exercise and after 6 months. According to the outcome scores arthroscopic partial medial meniscectomy combined with exercise did not lead to greater improvement than exercise alone. After the intervention both groups reported decreased knee pain, improved knee function and a high satisfaction (P<0.0001). Forty-one per cent of the patients returned to their pre-injury activity level after 6 months. In conclusion, when evaluated with outcome scores, arthroscopic partial medial meniscectomy followed by supervised exercise was not superior to supervised exercise alone in terms of reduced knee pain, improved knee function and improved quality of life.