@article{ref1,
title="Functional testing following isolated meniscus repair may help to identify patients who need additional physical therapy prior to a return to activity",
journal="Journal of the International Society of Arthroscopy, Knee Surgery and Orthopaedic Sports Medicine",
year="2024",
author="Gronbeck, Kyle R. and Tompkins, Marc A.",
volume="ePub",
number="ePub",
pages="ePub-ePub",
abstract="OBJECTIVES: Functional testing (FT) commonly used to evaluate dynamic knee function and provide objective information about how well a patient has progressed in rehabilitation following an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. The purpose of the study was to determine whether a functional test could be used as an assessment tool for return to activity following isolated meniscus repair. <br><br>METHODS: The results of FT completed between 80-150 days post-operation (representing 4-months post-operative) in isolated meniscal repair patients were analyzed for the involved limb, uninvolved limb, and limb symmetry index (LSI). Involved limb performance and LSI on FT were also recorded for a matched cohort of patients who underwent an isolated ACL reconstruction between 151-220 days post-operation (representing 6-months post-operative). The meniscus cohort was compared to the ACL cohort. <br><br>RESULTS: The meniscus cohort (n=26) performed well (LSI of 88% or better) on all functional test exercises, including all hop tests. There were patients in the meniscus cohort who did not achieve 90% LSI on the FT at 4 months. There was no statistically significant difference in any of the tests between the meniscus and ACL (n=39) cohorts. <br><br>CONCLUSION: A majority of isolated meniscal repair patients perform well on functional testing by 4 months post-operatively and similar to patients undergoing isolated ACL reconstruction at 6 months post-operatively. Not all patients performed well on functional testing at 4 months post-operatively, however, so there may be a role for functional testing in isolated meniscal repair patients and those patients may need further physical therapy prior to a return to sports. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III; Retrospective cohort study LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: IV.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="2059-7754",
doi="10.1016/j.jisako.2024.04.007",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jisako.2024.04.007"
}