Abstract
The main objective of the study was to determine the best method of treatment for adolescents with anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries. Results were collected retrospectively from clinical notes from January 1999 to December 2001, during which time 14 patients were treated. Patient satisfaction, clinical examination and Cybex evaluation were used as criteria. A review of the literature on the subject was also conducted.
The results at four to six-month follow-up showed that 85.6% of the patients returned to active sport participation at the same level, 100% had stable knees on clinical examination, and no patient had any leg-length discrepancy or rotational or angular malalignment.
The ruptured ACL in young adolescents should be reconstructed to prevent re-injury and to decrease the incidence of traumatic degeneration in the unstable knee joint.
The abstracts were prepared by Professor M.B.E. Sweet. Correspondence should be addressed to him at PO Box 47363, Parklands, Johannesburg 2121, South Africa.
