The Patient-Physiotherapist Tango: a Personalized Approach to ACL Recovery - a Qualitative Interview Study.

Abstract

Background: Person-centered care is a concept in healthcare that aims to promote the patient's health and adapt resources and interventions based on the patient's needs and wishes. Knowledge on what person-centered physiotherapy is for patients who rehabilitate after an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction, and how patients experience it within the context of sports injury rehabilitation, is lacking.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to explore how patients who were in a late rehabilitation stage (8-12 months) after ACL reconstruction experienced their rehabilitation from a person-centered perspective.

Study design: Qualitative interview study.

Methods: Fourteen patients (57% females), aged 18-57, treated with ACL reconstruction, were interviewed with semi-structured interviews 8-12 months after ACL reconstruction. Interviews were recorded, transcribed and analyzed with qualitative content analysis.

Results: One theme: all lights on me; be seen and heard, a cornerstone for patients, supported by three main categories: 1) rehabilitation: a roller coaster of physical and psychological challenges; 2) patient involvement; 3) the physiotherapist - stronger together; emerged from the collected data.

Conclusion: Patients in a late rehabilitation stage (8-12 months) after ACL reconstruction experienced that the rehabilitation process was person-centered when they felt to be the focus and were allowed to participate via open and constructive communication with the physiotherapists.