Association of Psychological Readiness to Return to Sports With Subjective Level of Return at 12 Months After ACL Reconstruction

BACKGROUND: Return-to-sports (RTS) rates after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction (ACLR) differ according to the level at which patients return. It is unclear whether the level of RTS is affected by psychological readiness to return. PURPOSE: To examine the association between psychological readiness to RTS and subjective RTS level 12 months after ACLR. STUDY DESIGN: Case-control study; Level of evidence, 3. METHODS: A total of 47 patients who underwent unilateral primary ACLR surgery were enrolled. Assessments at 6 and 12 months postoperatively consisted of knee strength testing (isokinetic quadriceps and hamstring strength), the International Knee Documentation Committee Subjective Knee Evaluation Form (IKDC-SKF), and the Anterior Cruciate Ligament-Return to Sport after Injury (ACL-RSI) scale to measure psychological readiness to RTS. Patients were assigned to 1 of 3 subgroups based on their subjective assessment of RTS level at 12 months postoperatively: RTS at or above preinjury level (RTS≥Pre; n = 19), RTS below preinjury level (RTS<Pre; n = 24), or no RTS (n = 4). Two-way mixed-model analysis of variance was used to examine the effects of RTS subgroup, postoperative time point, and group × time interaction with patient characteristics, knee strength, and IKDC-SKF and ACL-RSI scores. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to determine which factors were associated with RTS subgroupings. RESULTS: Significant differences were found among the RTS≥Pre, RTS<Pre, and no-RTS groups in age, ACL-RSI score at 6 and 12 months, quadriceps strength at 6 and 12 months, and IKDC-SKF score at 6 and 12 months (P < .001 for all). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that RTS at or above preinjury level was associated with higher ACL-RSI score at 12 months postoperatively (odds ratio [OR], 1.11; 95% CI, 1.05-1.20; P = .003) and younger age (OR, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.61-0.92; P = .012). CONCLUSION: The ACL-RSI score was significantly different among the study groups, and the ACL-RSI score at 12 months postoperatively and younger age were associated with RTS at or above preinjury level.