An Investigation Of Factors That Influence Quality Of Movement Among Young Athletes Following Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction

Download or read book An Investigation of Factors that Influence Quality of Movement Among Young Athletes Following Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction written by Christin M. Zwolski and published by . This book was released on 2021 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture of the knee is a devastating musculoskeletal injury that plagues young athletes who participate in cutting/pivoting sports. The typical treatment approach for this injury is ACL reconstruction (ACLR), a procedure that aims to restore knee stability and function. Following ACLR, young athletes in particular demonstrate strength deficits, altered biomechanics, and decreased self-reported function. Also characteristic of this population is an increased risk of second ACL injury, difficulty maintaining previous level of physical activity participation, and development of premature knee osteoarthritis. Within current rehabilitation practice after ACLR, the index of return to sport (RTS) readiness is the achievement of physical competence criteria, such as strength, functional performance, and patient-reported outcome measures of symptoms and function. However, the poor outcomes experienced by young athletes after ACLR provide clear reasoning that this approach needs to be expanded to include factors beyond the physical domain. This dissertation addresses this need by employing a novel convergence of theories and constructs to investigate the holistic impact of ACLR on a young athlete’s quality of movement. The goal of this dissertation work was to identify underlying factors associated with quality of movement following ACLR among young athletes. The overall objectives of this dissertation were to determine how actual and perceived physical competence are associated with psychological function (Chapter 2) and biomechanics (Chapter 3) among young athletes at the time of RTS following ACLR. Secondly, we sought to understand the factors perceived to influence physical literacy and physical activity in the years following RTS after ACLR (Chapter 4). The results of this work identified an association between perceived physical competence and psychological readiness to RTS. Neither actual nor perceived physical competence were associated with landing biomechanics at time of RTS. Additionally, factors perceived to influence physical literacy in the years following adolescent ACLR were identified across all socioecological levels. Themes generated from these factors included 1) navigation of barriers, 2) movement motives, 3) movement mindset, and 4) physical literacy recalibration. Collectively, the findings from these studies serve as an important foundation for the advancement of post-ACLR rehabilitation interventions and guidelines that promote meaningful and quality movement throughout the lifespan. To our knowledge, the series of studies included in this dissertation represent the first to comprehensively examine factors within the domains of the physical literacy construct as they relate to youth who have suffered a severe, sports-related injury.