Association between Clinical Scores and Absence from Work after Knee Arthroscopy

Abstract

(1) Background: To determine the association between patient-reported outcome measures and return to work after knee arthroscopy. (2) Material and Methods: Retrospective analysis of data on patients scheduled for knee arthroscopy in 2019 for which symptom severity was available using International Knee Documentation Committee subjective knee evaluation form (IKDC), Knee Disability And Osteoarthritis Outcome Score For Joint Replacement (KOOS JR), Tegner Lysholm scale and Euroqol EQ5D5L. Paid sick leave was retrieved from electronic patient records. (3) Results: 61 patients (mean age 46.44 ± 7.61 years, 28 (45.9%) males) met the inclusion criteria. All patients ultimately returned to work. Forty-six (75.41%) received a mean of 28.5 (range 7–68) days of paid medical leave after surgery. Of those, three patients were already on medical leave. There were no differences in demographics and clinical scores between patients who received paid sick leave and those who did not. No significant correlation was found between days of absence and clinical scores. (4) Conclusions: There was no association between absence from work and commonly used clinical scores in patients undergoing knee arthroscopy.