PREOPERATIVE PREDICTORS OF ANTERIOR CRUCIATE LIGAMENT RECONSTRUCTION OUTCOME: APPLICATION OF THE MUSCULOSKELETAL FUNCTIONAL ASSESSMENT (MFA).

Tyler TF

INST Nicholas Institute of Sports Medicine and Athletic Trauma, New York, NY

The MFA is a general orthopedic outcome measurement tool that has been validated in the published orthopedic literature. It is unknown how patients following ACL reconstruction score on the MFA once two years has elapsed, or if there are pre-operative factors which might predict outcome. Seventy-nine patients (89%) completed the MFA with a mean follow-up of 3.7 years (2.1 - 6.9 years). Twenty-eight pre-operative patients completed the MFA to document the degree of disability in ACL deficient patients before surgery. Pre-operative patients had a mean MFA score of 32.7 +/- 4.0 compared to 8.4 +/- 1.0 in the post-op group. The post-operative group scores were similar to MFA scores obtained from a non-patient sample previously published. Gender, the maximum pull KT-1000 side-to-side difference, extension loss and chronicity of the injury explained 30% of the variance MFA score. We conclude that patients presenting for ACL surgery have significant orthopedic disability as documented by the MFA. At an average of over 3 years follow-up, most patients reported MFA scores that are comparable to non-patients. Women, patients with greater side-to-side difference in anterior displacement, greater extension loss and greater than 8 weeks between injury and surgery are likely to report higher MFA scores.

AMERICAN PHYSICAL THERAPY ASSOCIATION - SPORTS PHYSICAL THERAPY SECTION NEW ORLEANS LA. FEBRUARY 5, 2000.