Comparison of physical therapy utilization, timing of return-to-sport test completion, and hop test performance by age and between sexes in youth athletes after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction

Abstract

Objective

To compare physical therapy (PT) utilization, timing of return-to-sport (RTS) test and hop test performance by age and between sexes in youth after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR).

Design

Multicenter retrospective cohort.

Methods

A retrospective review of adolescents after primary ACLR was conducted. Participants completed return-to-sport (RTS) tests including single-legged hop testing. PT frequency, average weekly visits, and timing of RTS test were calculated. T-tests assessed the effect of age and sex on average weekly PT visits and multivariable logistic regressions assessed odds of passing hop tests.

Results

289 participants were included (15.7 ± 1.9 years). There was no difference in average weekly PT visits (p = 0.321) or time to RTS test (p = 0.162) by age. There were significant differences in average weekly PT visits (p = 0.047) and mean time from surgery to RTS test (p = 0.048) between sexes with small effect sizes (d = 0.24 and d = 0.21, respectively). Age and sex had no effect on odds of passing hop tests (OR, 1.29; 95% CI, 0.71–2.35 and OR, 0.79; 95%CI, 0.43–1.45, respectively).

Conclusion

In a youth cohort, age and sex may have no clinically important effect on PT visit utilization, timing of RTS test or hop test performance.