Several attempts have been made to reduce these failure rates and improve return to sports rates in high-risk populations, and one of these approaches has been postoperative bracing. A recent survey of the Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) Study Group has shown that 53% of surgeons prefers functional bracing following ACL reconstruction. Currently, however, there is no clear consensus on whether functional bracing following ACL reconstruction leads to lower failure rates, improved stability or better patient-reported outcomes when compared to ACL reconstruction without bracing.
patients with unilateral complete ACL injury
patients involved in sports and the desire to return to sports
patients undergoing quadriceps autograft ACL reconstruction
must be 14 to 39 years old
multiligamentous knee injuries defined as two ligaments requiring surgical stabilization
concomitant suture tape augmentation, extra-articular tenodesis or anterolateral ligament reconstruction
concomitant femoral, tibial, or patellar fracture(s)
patients with significant osteoarthritis