This study aimed to investigate the association of self-reported knee stability with symptoms, function, and quality of life in individuals with knee osteoarthritis after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR).
Cross-sectional.
Twenty-eight individuals with knee osteoarthritis, 5 to 12 years after ACLR.
Self-reported knee stability was assessed using visual analogue scales (VAS) during hop for distance (HD), side-to-side hop (SSH), and one-leg rise (OLR). Symptoms [Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) pain, Anterior Knee Pain Scale (AKPS), and International Knee Documentation Committee form], self-reported function (KOOS-sport/rec), performance-based function (hopping and OLR), and quality of life (KOOS-QOL) were assessed. K-means clustering categorized individuals into low (n = 8) and high self-reported knee stability (n = 20) groups based on participants' VAS scores during functional tasks.
The low self-reported knee stability group had worse knee symptoms than the high self-reported knee stability group [KOOS-pain: mean difference -17 (95% confidence interval, -28 to -5); AKPS: -10 (-20 to -1)], and worse self-reported function [KOOS-sport/rec: -33 (-48 to -18)] and performance-based function [HD: -28 (-53 to -3); SSH: -10 (-20 to -1), OLR: -18 (-32 to -50)].
Low self-reported stability is associated with worse symptoms, and worse self-reported and performance-based function. Further research is required to determine the causation relation of self-reported knee stability to knee symptoms and function in individuals with knee osteoarthritis after ACLR.