To understand what sports orthopedic surgeons (OS), primary care physicians (PCPs) with sports medicine training, and physiotherapists (PTs) managing non‐elite athletes with anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury tell their patients about their osteoarthritis (OA) risk.
An electronic survey was distributed by the Canadian Academy of Sport and Exercise Medicine (PCPs, OS), the Sports and Orthopedic Divisions of the Canadian Physiotherapy Association (PTs), and to OS identified through the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons and the Canadian Orthopaedic Association. The survey included four sections: demographics, factors discussed; timing of discussions; and discussion of risk factors and their management. Proportions or means with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated.
501 (98 PCP, 263 PT, and 140 OS) responded. Seventy to 77% of physicians reported always discussing OA risk, but only 35% of PTs did. All reported that patient activities perceived as detrimental to knee health, ACL re‐injury, and simultaneous injury to other structures in the knee were most often the reason for discussing OA risk. OA risk was discussed at initial management post‐injury (65 to 94%), with few discussing risk subsequently. Eighty percent of physicians and 99% of PTs indicated that PTs were suited to provide OA risk and management information.
Health care professionals (HCPs) routinely managing people with ACL injury do not consistently discuss OA risk post-injury with them. Educational strategies for HCPs are urgently needed to develop care pathways inclusive of OA risk management support post ACL injury.
Ref: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/acr.24419
