Objective: The purpose of this study was to describe the clinical features in the subacute phase after surgical reconstruction of complete anterior cruciate ligament rupture (ACLR) with respect to healthy participants.

Methods: A case-control observational study was performed. A total sample of 80 participants was recruited from an outpatient clinic and divided into case (n = 40 patients after ACLR reconstruction in subacute phase) and control (n = 40 healthy participants) groups. Outcomes, including pain intensity, range of motion (ROM), stability, and functionality were assessed by the visual analogue scale, universal goniometer, the Star Excursion Balance Test, and the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index, respectively.

Results: There were no statistically significant differences (P > .05) for sex, side, age, and body mass index between patients with ACLR after reconstruction surgery and healthy participants. Statistically significant differences (P < .001) with a large effect size (Rosenthal r) from -0.86 to -0.93 were shown for ROM (median ± interquartile range [IQR], -70.00° ± 10.00°) and Star Excursion Balance Test (mean ± standard deviation, -38.31 cm ± 4.52 cm) reduction, as well as higher visual analogue scale (median ± IQR, 7.00 ± 1.00) and Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (median ± IQR, 68.77 ± 6.29) scores in favor of the ACLR reconstructed group, with respect to the healthy control group.

Conclusions: Measurable clinical differences of functionality, stability, and ROM should be considered during the evaluation of patients at a subacute period after complete ACLR reconstruction surgery with respect to healthy matched controls.

Author keywords: Anterior Cruciate Ligament, Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction, Physical Therapy Modalities, Rehabilitation

Author affiliations: CC-L: Nursing and Physical Therapy Department, Institute of Biomedicine, Universidad de León, Ponferrada, León, Spain; JV-S: Facultad de Ciencias y Artes, Universidad Católica de Ávila, Ávila, Spain; BR_R, DR-S: Faculty of Sports, Universidad Europea, Madrid, Spain; RF-P: Department of Physiotherapy and Motion in Brains Research Group, Institute of Neurosciences and Movement Sciences, Higher Center for University Studies La Salle, Autonomous University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain; DL-L: Research, Health and Podiatry Unit, Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Nursing and Podiatry, Universidade da Coruña, A Coruña, Ferrol, Spain; JS-C: Institute of Biomedicine, University of León, León, Spain. Researcher and Visitor Professor, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Ponferrada, León, Spain; PP-L: University Center of Plasencia, Universidad de Extremadura, Plasencia, Spain

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