Psychological Readiness to Return to Sport Is Associated With Knee Kinematic Asymmetry During Gait Following Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction.

BACKGROUND: Gait asymmetry is frequently observed following anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR). Psychological readiness to return to sport is associated with functional and activity-related outcomes after ACLR. However, the association between gait asymmetry and psychological readiness to return to sport is unknown.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the relationship between kinematic and kinetic measures of knee symmetry during gait and psychological readiness to return to sport following ACLR.

METHODS: In this controlled laboratory, cross-sectional study, 79 athletes (39 women) underwent gait analysis following impairment resolution after ACLR (ie, full range of motion, minimal or no effusion, quadriceps strength index of 80% or greater). Interlimb differences during gait were calculated for sagittal plane knee angles at initial contact, peak knee flexion, and peak knee extension, as well as for peak knee flexion moment and peak knee adduction moment. Athletes completed the Anterior Cruciate Ligament-Return to Sport after Injury scale (ACL-RSI) to assess psychological readiness to return to sport. Pearson correlations were used to examine the association between ACL-RSI score and each gait symmetry variable.

RESULTS: Significant negative correlations were observed between the ACL-RSI and 2 kinematic variables: knee flexion angle at initial contact (r = -0.281, P = .012) and peak knee flexion (r = -0.248, P = .027). In general, lower scores on the ACL-RSI were associated with greater interlimb asymmetry.

CONCLUSION: There was a weak association between psychological readiness to return to sport and knee kinematic asymmetry during gait. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2018;48(12):968-973. Epub 27 Jul 2018. doi:10.2519/jospt.2018.8084.