Prior history of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction is associated with a greater risk of subsequent ACL injury in female collegiate athletes.

OBJECTIVES

The risk of a subsequent anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) sprain is greater in high school aged female athletes with prior history of ACL reconstruction (ACLR) than in age-matched controls. The risk of a subsequent ACL injury in female collegiate athletes with prior ACLR is unknown. The primary purpose of this study was to determine the relative risk of a subsequent ACL injury in female collegiate athletes with prior ACLR when compared to age-matched controls. The secondary purpose of this study was to evaluate the ability of jump and hop tests to discriminate ACL injury risk.

DESIGN

Prospective cohort.

METHODS

Three hundred and sixty female collegiate athletes (mean age 19.3 ± 1.4 years) representing the following sports: volleyball, soccer, and basketball were recruited. Subjects reported prior history of ACLR and standing long jump (SLJ) and single-leg hop (SLH) scores were collected during the preseason. Noncontact time-loss ACL and lower quadrant (i.e., low back and lower extremities) injuries were tracked by university athletic trainers.

RESULTS

Female collegiate athletes with a prior history of ACLR were 6 times (RR = 6.8 [95% CI: 1.4, 32.9] p-value = 0.007) more likely to experience an ACL injury than controls. Suboptimal performance on a battery of tests (SLJ ≤ 79% height, (B) SLH ≤ 69% height) was associated with a greater risk of lower quadrant injury (RR = 1.6 [95% CI: 1.1, 2.4] p-value = 0.028); however performance on these tests was not associated with ACL injury.

CONCLUSIONS

Female collegiate athletes should be screened for history of ACLR.