Comprehensive inpatient rehabilitation for elite athletes after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.
Saeko Takahashi, Reia Shimizu, Junpei Sasadai and 1 others
PMID 37266360WHAT IT FOUND
Elite athletes receiving comprehensive inpatient rehabilitation after ACL reconstruction reported high rates of returning to pre-injury activity levels, regardless of graft type.
However, outcomes were subjective, and the study cannot determine which component of the combined physical, psychological, and nutritional support was responsible.
Key findings
0175% of athletes with bone-patellar tendon-bone grafts and 78.8% with semitendinosus/gracilis grafts reported returning to their pre-injury activity level.
02There was no statistically significant difference in return rates or secondary injury rates between the two graft types.
03The rehabilitation program was individualized and combined exercise therapy with psychological and nutritional support, making it impossible to isolate the effect of any single component.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
The study relied entirely on subjective self-reporting via questionnaire, with no objective performance data. The rehabilitation program was not standardized; each athlete received individualized care, making it impossible to determine which specific intervention (physical, psychological, or nutritional) was effective. The study included only elite athletes, so results may not generalize to recreational athletes or the general population. The response rate was 74%, and 20 questionnaires were undeliverable, introducing potential selection bias. The study was retrospective and lacked a control group receiving conventional rehabilitation, so comparisons to previous studies are indirect.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that the comprehensive inpatient model itself, or any specific component like psychological support, caused the high return rates. The program was individualized and multi-component, and outcomes were subjective, so no single element can be credited.