A clinician-friendly test battery with a passing rate similar to a 'gold standard' return-to-sport test battery 1 year after ACL reconstruction: Results from a rehabilitation outcome registry

Abstract

Objectives: To 1) present passing rates for different clinician-friendly (CF) test batteries and 2) determine the relationship between passing CF test batteries and passing gold standard (GS) return-to-sport (RTS) muscle function testing, 1 year after ACL reconstruction.

Study design: Cross-sectional registry study, level of evidence: 3.

Setting: Primary care.

Participants: Data from 588 patients (52% women, mean age 29.3 ± 9.8 years) were extracted from the Project ACL registry.

Main outcome measures: The passing rates for the different test batteries.

Results: The passing rate for GS test battery was 28% (95% CI, 24-32%) and the passing rate for the CF test battery with the lowest passing rate was 27% (95% CI 24-31%). The two CF test batteries with the strongest relationships with passing GS test battery showed that 51% (95% CI 43-59%) and 49% (95% CI 44-55%) of the patients who passed the respective CF test battery also passed the GS test battery.

Conclusion: A CF test battery can be as demanding to pass as a GS test battery, 1 year after ACL reconstruction. However, passing a CF test battery only gives patients a chance similar to a "coin flip" of also passing a GS RTS test battery.

Keywords: Anterior cruciate ligament; Evaluation; Limb symmetry index; knee.