The Association Between Knee Pain, Symptoms, Function and Quality af Life After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction at Short-Term Follow-Up: A Preliminary Study

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the associations between pain, symptoms, function and knee-related quality of life (QOL) after ACL reconstruction at short-term follow-up METHODS: Twenty patients who had undergone ACL reconstruction were included in the study. Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score-Turkish (KOOS-T) was used to evaluate knee pain, other symptoms (symptoms), activities of daily living and sport and recreation (Sport/Rec). Quality of life was assessed with Short Form (SF)-36. Lysholm knee scoring scale was used for clinical evaluation. RESULTS: The mean age of patients was 28. 2 ± 5.5 and the mean time passed after surgery was 38.22 ± 24.7 weeks. A significant correlation (p<0, 05) was found between KOOS-T pain, activities of daily living subscales and all SF-36 subscale scores and both physical component and mental component summary scores. KOOS symptoms and Sports/Rec subscales were correlated with physical and social functioning subscale scores and mental component summary scores of SF-36. Symptoms subscale was also correlated with vitality subscale of SF-36. There was no correlation between SF-36 scores and age and time passed after surgery. Lysholm score was also correlated with most of the subscales of SF-36 but especially with physical component summary score. CONCLUSION: The QOL of patients who had undergone ACL reconstruction was significantly correlated with pain and activities of daily living. The mental health subscales of SF-36 also correlated with pain, symptoms, ADL and Sports/Rec suggesting that apart from the physical impairment, mental health is also an important clinical issue in patients who had undergone ACL reconstruction.