Preoperative and postoperative serial assessments of postural balance and fall risk in patients with arthroscopic anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Gokalp, Oguzhan^a | Akkaya, Semih^{a; *} | Akkaya, Nuray^b | Buker, Nihal^c | Gungor, Harun R.^a | Ok, Nusret^a | Yorukoglu, Cagdas^a

Affiliations: [a] Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Medicine Faculty, Pamukkale University, Denizli, Turkey | [b] Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Medicine, University of Pamukkale, Denizli, Turkey | [c] School of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation, University of Pamukkale, Denizli, Turkey

Correspondence: [*] Corresponding author: Semih Akkaya, Orthopedics and Traumatology, Pamukkale University, Medicine Faculty, Denizli, Turkey. Tel.: +90 533 347 42 24; Fax: +90 258 444 0 728; E-mail:semihakkaya@yahoo.com

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Impaired postural balance due to somatosensory data loss with mechanical instability has been shown in patients with ACL deficiency. OBJECTIVE: To assess postural balance in patients with ACL insufficiency prior to surgery and following reconstruction with serial evaluations. METHODS: Thirty patients (mean age of 27.7 ± 6.7 years) who underwent arthroscopic reconstruction of ACL with bone-patellar tendon-bone autograft were examined for clinical and functional variables at preoperative day and postoperative 12th week. Posturographic analysis were performed by using Tetrax Interactive Balance System (Sunlight Medical Ltd, Israel) at preoperative day, at 4th, 8th, and 12th weeks following reconstruction. Data computed by posturographic software by the considerations of the oscillation velocities of body sways is fall risk as a numeric value (0-100, lower values indicate better condition). RESULTS: All of the patients (mean age of 27.7 ± 6.7 years) had significant improvements for clinical, functional evaluations and fall risk (p< 0.05). Mean fall risk was within high-risk category (59.9 ± 22.8) preoperatively. The highest fall risk was detected at postoperative 4th week. Patients had high fall risk at 8th week similar to preoperative value. Mean fall risk decreased to low level risk at 12th week. Preoperative symptom duration had relationships with preoperative fall risk and postoperative improvement of fall risk (p= 0.001, r= -0.632, p= 0.001, r= -0.870, respectively). The improvement of fall risk was higher in patients with symptoms shorter than 6 months (p= 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: According to these results, mean fall risk of patients with ACL insufficiency was within high risk category preoperatively, and fall risk improves after surgical reconstruction, but as the duration of complaints lengthens especially longer than 6 months, the improvement of fall risk decreases following reconstruction.

Keywords: Postural balance, fall risk, anterior cruciate ligament, reconstruction

DOI: 10.3233/BMR-160659

Journal: Journal of Back and Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation, vol. 29, no. 2, pp. 343-350, 2016