A Randomized Trial of Treatment for Acute Anterior Cruciate Ligament Tears

The optimal management of a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) of the knee is unknown.

We conducted a randomized, controlled trial involving 121 young, active adults with acute ACL injury in which we compared two strategies: structured rehabilitation plus early ACL reconstruction and structured rehabilitation with the option of later ACL reconstruction if needed. The primary outcome was the change from baseline to 2 years in the average score on four subscales of the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS)--pain, symptoms, function in sports and recreation, and knee-related quality of life (KOOS(4); range of scores, 0 [worst] to 100 [best]). Secondary outcomes included results on all five KOOS subscales, the Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey, and the score on the Tegner Activity Scale.