Should return to high-impact sport be avoided for secondary prevention of osteoarthritis after acl reconstruction? A prospective cohort study with MRI, radiographic and symptomatic outcomes

Abstract

Purpose: Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture, irrespective of surgical reconstruction (ACLR), contributes to most post-traumatic knee osteoarthritis (OA) cases, evident decades earlier than non-traumatic OA. Returning to high-impact sport following ACLR represents a potential modifiable factor. Surgical success is often judged on a return to sport, and retrospective studies indicate a potential reduction in OA risk in those who return to pivoting sport. There is a need to prospectively investigate the influence of returning to high-impact sport after ACLR on the risk of longitudinal structural OA changes and knee symptoms.