Information about project titled 'Better and safer return to sport after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (BEAST)'
Better and safer return to sport after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (BEAST)
| Details about the project - category | Details about the project - value |
|---|---|
| Project status: | Ongoing |
| Project manager: | Hege Grindem |
| Coworker(s): | Håvard Moksnes, Grethe Myklebust, May Arna Risberg, Lars Engebretsen, Clare Arden |
Description
Background: Only half of athletes with anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction return to sport after surgery. Among those who return, one in five gets a new knee injury within two years. Non-professional athletes rarely have medical support in the transition from rehabilitation in a clinic to full return to sport.
Aims: To describe 2-year results in athletes with anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction who follow specific criteria for rehabilitation and progression in sports participation, and to compare these with a control group of patients who receive usual care.
Methods: Prospective cohort study with control (usual care) and intervention group. The athletes in the intervention group will undergo clinical examination, muscle strength testing, and hop testing 6, 8, 10 and 12 months after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. They will receive a plan for rehabilitation and gradual progression in sport. The plan will be individualized based on the test result, following a standardized algorithm. We will collect data to describe adherence, barriers to adherence, knee function, mental aspects of return to sport, sports participation and new knee injuries.
Implications: BEAST will contribute with knowledge on the potential effects of structured rehabilitation and progression in sports, guided by objective tests, in the last rehabilitation phase after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. The intervention is designed to be used by nonspecialists who do not have access to sophisticated test equipment. If the intervention leads to better and safer return to sport, it can improve the care of athletes who are treated by rehabilitation clinicians in nonspecialist clinics.