Delayed Surgery, Medial Meniscus Injury, and Younger Age Are All Factors Significantly Associated With High-Grade Knee Laxity Before ACL Reconstruction.

BACKGROUND

The influence of patient demographics, associated meniscal injuries, and especially the time from injury to surgery on knee laxity before anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) remains insufficiently explored.

PURPOSE: To identify factors associated with high-grade knee laxity before ACLR.

STUDY

DESIGN

Case-control study; Level of evidence, 3.

METHODS

Patients without concomitant ligament injuries who underwent primary ACLR at Capio Artro Clinic, Stockholm, Sweden, from January 2000 to December 2023 were identified. Demographic data (age and sex), concomitant medial or lateral meniscus injury, time from injury to surgery, and instrumented knee laxity were reviewed. The KT-1000 arthrometer (134 N) was used to evaluate anterior knee laxity preoperatively. High-grade laxity was defined as a side-to-side (STS) difference >5 mm (International Knee Documentation Committee grade C or D). A logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate whether age at surgery, sex, medial or lateral meniscus injury, and time from injury to ACLR were associated with high-grade preoperative knee laxity.

RESULTS

A total of 7759 patients (53.9% male) were included, of whom 1596 had high-grade knee laxity (STS difference >5 mm) preoperatively. Younger age (≤26 years) (OR, 1.19; 95% CI, 1.06-1.33; P = .002), medial meniscus injury (OR, 1.44; 95% CI, 1.28-1.63; P < .001), and delayed surgery (6-12 months: OR, 1.23; 95% CI, 1.03-1.46; P = .02; 12-24 months: OR, 1.58; 95% CI, 1.29-1.92; P < .001; 24-48 months: OR, 1.86; 95% CI, 1.47-2.35; P < .001; >48 months: OR, 2.23; 95% CI, 1.77-2.82; P < .001) increased the odds of high-grade preoperative knee laxity. Female sex and lateral meniscus injury were not associated with high-grade preoperative knee laxity.

CONCLUSION

Age ≤26 years, medial meniscus injury, and delayed surgery (>6 months) were associated with high-grade knee laxity (STS difference >5 mm) before ACLR. To reduce the likelihood of knee laxity deterioration, ACLR should be performed within 6 months of the injury.