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Are Braces Really Necessary after Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) Surgery?
July 15, 1998-Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada-Anterior cruciate ligament, or ACL, tears are common in athletes and other active people. After undergoing reconstructive surgery, many patients are routinely fitted with a functional knee brace to help protect the knee and prevent reinjury during the rehabilitation process. Although knee braces may be protective for patients who have torn their ACL and not undergone surgical reconstruction, their use after surgery is controversial. It is unclear whether braces are beneficial in preventing reinjury for surgical patients.
"We wanted to find out just how effective bracing is after surgery," said Christopher C. Kaeding, MD, of the Ohio State University Sports Medicine Center.
In this study presented today at the 24th Annual Meeting of the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine at the Vancouver Trade and Convention Centre, seventy-seven patients undergoing elective ACL reconstruction by the same surgeon were randomly divided into two groups before surgery. All patients underwent the same outpatient surgical procedure and participated in an aggressive, sports-oriented rehabilitation program after surgery.
Three weeks after surgery, 47 patients received a custom-fitted functional knee brace. This brace was worn for all activities except sleep for 12 to 14 weeks after surgery and then for sports only until 12 months after surgery. The remaining 30 patients received a neoprene knee sleeve three weeks after surgery, and were allowed to use the sleeve according to personal preference.
Patients were examined at three weeks, and at three, six and 12 months after surgery. No major differences in measurements of knee stability or patient satisfaction were found when the brace and sleeve groups were compared. The outcome of surgery was good for the majority of patients in both groups.
"Postoperative bracing does not seem to be a major factor in regaining knee function following ACL surgery," Dr. Kaeding said. "Full rehabilitation can and does occur independently of bracing."
The American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine (AOSSM) is an international medical specialty association of allied health professionals and physicians, primarily orthopaedic surgeons, who have demonstrated a significant and long-term commitment to sports medicine. The AOSSM promotes and supports education and research programs in sports medicine, including those concerned with physical fitness, as well as programs designed to advance our knowledge in the recognition, treatment, rehabilitation and prevention of athletic injuries. ###
Editor's Note: Photographs are available. One shows a female patient holding a brace and a sleeve, one shows Dr. Kaeding fitting a female patient with a brace, and one shows Dr. Kaeding fitting a female patient with a sleeve.
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