title: Conscious performance and arthroscopic findings in athletes with anterior cruciate ligament injuries treated via conservative therapy during the competitive season.
abstract: Athletes often receive conservative treatment for injured anterior cruciate ligaments (ACLs) so that they can continue to play to the end of their season. The purpose of this study was to examine the conscious performance and arthroscopic findings of athletes who received conservative therapy for ACL injuries.
  
  
  
  Forty-two patients with ACL injuries underwent conservative treatment. After the season ended, ACL reconstruction was performed. We examined the following parameters: (1) time required for return to competition after injury, (2) conscious performance after return to competition, (3) whether the injured knee gave way during conservative therapy or after return to competition, and (4) cause of performance deterioration if applicable. To determine conscious performance, patients were asked to rate their performance after therapy relative to their performance before injury.
  
  
  
  Thirty-eight of the 42 patients (90.5%) returned to competition after conservative treatment. The mean time to return was 13.8 ± 7.6 weeks, and the mean conscious performance score was 58.4 ± 16.5%. Thirty-eight patients (90.5%) experienced their knee giving way, of whom 36 (94.9%) stated that fear of their knee giving way hampered their performance. At the time of ACL reconstruction, 9 patients had chondral injuries and 22 patients had meniscus injuries.
  
  
  
  Most athletes with damaged ACLs returned to the field within the same season after conservative treatment. However, conscious performance was only about 60%. It is possible that knees giving way caused secondary meniscus and joint cartilage damage. Therefore, conservative treatment of individuals with ACL injuries should be considered carefully.
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Graduate School of Medical Science Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan.
authors.forename: Yasushi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Takata
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Graduate School of Medical Science Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan.
authors.forename: Junsuke
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nakase
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Graduate School of Medical Science Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan.
authors.forename: Tatsuhiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Toratani
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Graduate School of Medical Science Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan.
authors.forename: Hitoaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Numata
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Graduate School of Medical Science Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan.
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Oshima
authors.affiliation: 2 Division of Orthopaedic Surgery, Kijima Hospital, Kanazawa, Japan.
authors.forename: Katsuhiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kitaoka
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Graduate School of Medical Science Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tsuchiya
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000070598:Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D059549:Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction; D001182:Arthroscopy; D001265:Athletic Injuries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D000072700:Conservative Treatment; D005239:Fear; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D000068958:Return to Sport / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: anterior cruciate ligament; conscious performance; conservative treatment