ACL reconstruction does not shorten playing span: Study
POSTED July 13, 2009 - 16:05 | POSTED BY Jyoti Pal
Last edited by Sham Kamboj on August 12, 2009 - 13:13
The new study found that players who went in for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction tend to have longer playing career, compared to the players who either opt only for meniscus repair or go in for both the procedures.
Players with both procedures worst affected
For the purpose of the study, researchers looked at NFL player who had sustained knee injuries from the year 1987 to 2000. In all, the researchers examined 94 players with injuries. 54 of these players had a history of meniscus repairs, 29 had undergone an ACL reconstruction, whereas 11 players had opted for both the procedures.
These 94 players were then matched with a control group which had not undergone any kind of surgery.
The analysis revealed that ACL surgery, per se, did not significantly abridge the player’s career, neither by year, nor by game number. Players who underwent meniscus repairs experienced a shortened career. In terms of duration there career was cut short by one and a half years while on the basis of play it shrunk by 23 games.
The worst affected were the players who had both procedures. Their careers shortened by, on average, two years or 32 games.
"A combination of ACL reconstruction and meniscectomy may be more detrimental to an athlete's durability than either surgery alone," Lead author Dr. Robert Brophy of the Washington University School of Medicine, said of the study findings.
Common injuries
The anterior cruciate ligament is one of four main knee ligaments. The ACL is responsible for the forward motion of the shin.
The meniscus, on the other hand acts as a cushion to the knee. The recuperation time of a meniscus surgery is shorter than the healing time required in an ACL reconstruction.
Tears in ACL generally occur in serious athletes. The condition occurs when the knee is hyper extended or is suddenly torque during the physical activity.
"With further research, we will be able to better understand how these injuries and surgeries impact an athlete's career and what can be done to improve long-term outcomes," Dr Brophy assured.
The findings of the study were reported at an orthopedic conference in Keystone, Colorado on Saturday.
