High prevalence of associated intra-articular injuries with increasing time period from anterior cruciate ligament injury to reconstruction, even in apparent copers.

BACKGROUND:It still unclear whether copers may bear the same time-sensitive risk of intra-articular injury as non-copers. The objectives were to investigate the clinical characteristics of copers and non-copers that have sustained an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury, and to examine and compare the intra-articular pathologies in delayed ACL reconstruction (ACLR) in copers and noncopers. METHODS:Patients who sustained ACL injury while participating in high-performance sports and opted for non-operative treatment were enrolled in this study. Depending on the occurrence of the knee giving way, patients were classified into copers and noncopers. Clinical characteristics were compared between the two groups. Additionally, intra-articular injuries were evaluated for those who eventually underwent delayed ACLR. RESULTS:11 of the 75 patients (14.7%) were classified as copers. No major differences were found in the clinical characteristics between groups. Following the initial non-operative treatment, 67 patients underwent delayed ACLR. When examining intra-articular abrasions at the time of surgery, non-copers who continued sports activities for 3 to 12 months exhibited a significantly higher rate of injury as opposed to their coper counterparts. However, the difference in the prevalence of intra-articular lesions between the two groups in patients who continued to play sports for at least 12 months before surgery was nominal. CONCLUSION:The rate of copers was relatively low in patients who resumed playing high-level sports after ACL injury. Additionally, even in copers, those who continued sports activities for more than 12 months had comparably high prevalence of intra-articular injuries with noncopers. STUDY DESIGN:Retrospective case-control study; Level of evidence, 3.