Central Sensitization Symptoms and Psychosocial Factors in Athletes After ACL Reconstruction

University of Thessaly

Status: Completed

Conditions: Anterior Cruciate Ligament Rupture

Study type: Observational

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT04393129

2

Details and patient eligibility

About

The main research objective of this study is whether athletes who have sustained an anterior cruciate ligament injury, experience chronic nociplastic pain and psychosocial factors, including kinesiophobia and pain catastrophizing, after having been through ACL reconstruction surgery and rehabilitation and have returned to sport.

Full description

This is an observational, cross-sectional study. For the purposes of the study a sample group was selected from a clinic specialised in ACL reconstruction and rehabilitation based in Athens, Greece. Patients of the specific clinic had received the same surgical technique and rehabilitation protocol. Ability to return to sport was examined 9 months after surgery and approval was given according to the rehabilitation progress. A list of eligible study subjects was formed and, after inclusion and exclusion criteria were screened for, they were invited to participate in the study. Study participants, after having declared consent and passed the criteria were asked to answer the study questionnaires. Communication with participants was done through telephone and email, and all questionnaires were completed online.

Enrollment: 39 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 45 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

1. knowledge of Greek language,
2. surgically reconstructed ACL tear on one limb only,
3. successful completion of rehabilitation program,
4. medical permission to return to sport,
5. returned to previous sport for at least 6 months period
6. athlete of a lower limb loading sport.

Exclusion criteria

1. adolescent age (<18 years of age),
2. diagnosis of cancer of any stage,
3. diagnosis of psychiatric, neurological or autoimmune disease or syndrome,
4. past musculoskeletal injuries, including fractures, joints dislocation, ligament and tendon tears and
5. chronic musculoskeletal injuries (tendinopathies, shin splints, shoulder impingement etc.). Chronic pain is defined as pain persisting for at least 3 months, of intensity at least 3 on the VAS scale for most days per week (Kuppens et al. 2018).