Functional performance and psychological readiness after 1–10 years ACL reconstruction: A comparison between dominant and nondominant legs

Abstract

Background & Aims: Injuries to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) are among the most common types of injuries that occur during sport activities. Some studies reported that the dominance leg is significant predictor for ACL injuries. However, it is unclear whether the dominant or non-dominant leg impacts functional status and psychological readiness to return to sport after ACL. The purpose of this study was to determine if there are difference in functional performance and psychological readiness to return to sport between individuals who injured their dominant leg and non-dominant leg after 1-10 years following ACL reconstruction. Methods: A cross-sectional study of 50 participants between 20 and 38 years was conducted, to investigate individuals who injured their dominant leg (n=25) and non-dominant leg (n=25) after 1-10 years following ACL reconstruction. All participants complete Anterior Cruciate Ligament Return to Sport after Injury (ACL-RSI), the Lower Extremity Functional Scale (LEFS) questionnaires and Fear Avoidance Belief Questionnaire physical activity (FABQ-PA). Results: No significant difference was found between the dominant leg and non-dominant leg groups in ACL-RSI, LEFS and FABQ-PA (U = 256, p = 0.27; U = 314.5, p = 0.96, and U=279.5 p=0.52) respectively. Conclusions: While it is essential to investigate the functional performance and patient's psychological state, dominance vs non- dominance leg does not influence these outcomes 1-10 years following ACL reconstruction. Therefore, injuries either dominance or non-dominance leg demonstrate equal long-term improvement. To enhance rehabilitation and optimize long-term functional outcomes for individual undergoing ACL reconstruction, future research should investigate other factors that impact recovery and return-to-sport outcomes.