Length of Time Between Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction and Return to Sport Does Not Predict Need for Revision Surgery in National Football League Players
PURPOSE: To determine whether the length of time between primary anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) and return to sport (RTS) predicted the need for revision ACLR in National Football League (NFL) athletes.
METHODS: All NFL players who underwent ACLR from 2009 to 2015 were identified. The date of index ACLR and date of return to NFL regular-season game play after surgery were recorded. The length of time between ACLR and RTS was compared between players who required revision ACLR and those who did not. Correlation coefficients were used to assess whether players who RTS sooner sustained recurrent anterior cruciate ligament injury at an earlier date.
