Patients with the common ‘netball knee’ (anterior cruciate ligament) injury recover from operations just as well at home as in supervised rehab sessions.

That is according to a new study by CQU’s Musculoskeletal Research Unit.

The research unit’s Associate Professor Erik Hohmann said surgical reconstruction of the ACL was well established but rehabilitation was evolving.

For the study, 20 ACL reconstruction patients were assigned to a supervised hospital rehabilitation group and 20 were given an information sheet detailing post-operative rehabilitation exercises to be done at home.

All patients were re-assessed at regular intervals over a 12 month period.

Dr Hohmann said there was no significant difference between groups for a variety of recovery tests.

This indicated that “extensive formal physical therapy with its associated expense does not afford any measurable advantage over un-supervised home-based rehabilitation”. ENDS.

For details email ehohmann@optusnet.com.au