Rehabilitation practices of Turkish physiotherapists following anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: an online survey


Oluc F. E., TURGUT E., Harput G.

RESEARCH IN SPORTS MEDICINE, 2025 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Publication Date: 2025
  • Doi Number: 10.1080/15438627.2025.2462906
  • Journal Name: RESEARCH IN SPORTS MEDICINE
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, Academic Search Premier, IBZ Online, CAB Abstracts, CINAHL, MEDLINE, SportDiscus
  • Hacettepe University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

We aimed to investigate the anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACL-R) rehabilitation and return-to-sport (RTS) practices of Turkish physiotherapists. An online survey with 25 questions on ACL-R rehabilitation and RTS practices was created on Google Forms and distributed to physiotherapists via social media. Two-hundred sixty-four physiotherapists' responses were analysed. About 62.3% of therapists treated patients prior to ACL-R. Open-kinetic-chain (OKC) exercises frequently started at 4-6 weeks post-operatively (34.8%). Return-to-running cleared at 3-4 months (37%) and RTS cleared at 6-9 months (40.2%) mostly. Manual muscle tests were used by 58.4% of physiotherapists to evaluate knee strength before RTS. About 46.7% of physiotherapists did not assess psychological readiness for RTS. Physiotherapists with a bachelor's degree cleared patients for RTS earlier (<9 months) than those with postgraduate degrees (p = 0.001) but used patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) more frequently (p = 0.010). Physiotherapists with over 5 years of experience used PROMs and psychological readiness scales more frequently (p = 0.035, p = 0.001) but also cleared patients for RTS earlier (p = 0.014). This study revealed that physiotherapist rehabilitation practices after ACL-R are not fully consistent with the current best evidence. This inconsistency in rehabilitation practices may lead to suboptimal patient outcomes after ACL-R. Encouraging physiotherapists to incorporate the latest evidence into practice might lead to better rehabilitation outcomes.