Quality of life after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction

The purpose of this study was to assess the quality of life of patients who underwent anterior cruciate ligament single-bundle reconstruction (ACLR) which involves reconstructing the ligament using autologous graft (semitendinosus and gracilis tendon). This is a retrospective study undertaken between the 1st of January 2010 and December 31, 2011 at the Clinic of Orthopedics and Traumatology Tîrgu-Mureş, involving 30 patients (6 women, 24 men), 17 to 54 years old (mean age of 30.13 years). All the patients underwent ACLR, with the above mentioned technique. The instrument chosen to assess the quality of life was the Short-Form 36 (SF-36) Questionnaire, completed by telephone. This questionnaire has 8 scales which are noted according to the received answers: Physical Functioning (PF), RF (Role Physical), BP (Bodily Pain), GH (General Health), VT (Vitality), SF (Social Functioning), RE (Role Emotional) and MH (Mental Health). The best way to score these scales is by comparing them to the healthy population, which is why this study uses normbased scales where the mean value is 50 and the standard deviation is 10. The scales used in the questionnaire are showed the next results: mean norm-based PF 49.19, RF 46.11, BP 49.82, GH 52.19, VT 52.14, SF 50.43, RE 41.36 and MH 47.18. The general Physical Component showed a mean of 48.93 and the Mental Component a mean of 47.33, close to the standard mean of 50. All these results were included in the standard deviation, which showed that the patients’ quality of life was very close to the quality of life of the normal population. Patients who have a history of ACLR tend to have a quality of life similar to the normal, healthy population.