Arabic version of the anterior cruciate ligament return to sport index: Translation and cross-cultural adaptation

Abstract

Purpose: Several factors influence the decision to return to sport (RTS) after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR). The literature revealed a link between psychological factors and RTS rates following ACL injury. The anterior cruciate ligament return to sport index (ACL-RSI) scale was created to assess the psychological impact of an ACL injury. A rigorous process of cross-cultural adaptation and validation is required to achieve equivalence between the original publication and the target version of the scale to administer the ACL-RSI to Arabic speakers. The purpose of this research is to translate and culturally adapt (ACL-RSI) for Arabic people who have ACLR.Materials and Methods: Translation and backward translation of the English version of the ACL-RSI were performed in accordance with the guidelines for cross-cultural adaptation. Following translation, 105 ACLR patients were recruited to complete Arabic version of RAND-36-item health survey, Arabic version of the knee injury and osteoarthritis outcome score and visual analog scales, along with the Arabic (ACL-RSI) scale. We looked at test–retest reliability, internal consistency, construct validity, and content validity.Results: The internal consistency was excellent (Cronbach's = 0.94). The test–retest reliability was high, with an intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) of 0.92 and a standard error of measurement of 4.41. There was a good construct validity with no floor or ceiling effects, as well as good convergent and divergent validity.Conclusions: This study confirmed that the Arabic (ACL-RSI) scale has good measurement properties, demonstrated that this instrument is an excellent tool to evaluate psychological factors for Arabic patients with ACLR.