The effect of knee bracing after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction- A prospective, randomized study with two years' follow up

The purpose of this prospective, randomized, clinical trial was to evaluate the effect of knee bracing after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction . Sixty patients were randomized into one of two groups: Patients in the br aced group wore rehabilitative braces for 2 weeks, followed by functional b races for 10 weeks, and patients in the nonbraced group did not wear braces . Data were recorded preoperatively, and postoperatively after 6 weeks, 3 a nd 6 months, and 1 and 2 years. The following outcome measures were used: K T-1000 arthrometry, the Cincinnati knee score, goniometry to record range o f motion, computed tomography to determine thigh atrophy, Cybex 6000 isokin etic testing to evaluate muscle strength, three functional knee tests, and a visual analog scale to evaluate pain. At all follow-up times there were n o significant differences between the two groups with regard to knee joint laxity, range of motion, muscle strength, functional knee tests, or pain. H owever, the Cincinnati knee score showed that patients in the braced group had significantly improved knee function compared with patients in the nonb raced group at the S-month follow-up, even though the braced group showed s ignificantly increased thigh atrophy compared with the nonbraced group at 3 months.