SynthesisKnee surgery, sports traumatology, arthroscopy : official journal of the ESSKA2025
Effects of postoperative knee bracing on knee function and stability after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Synthesis in Knee surgery, sports traumatology, arthroscopy : official journal of the ESSKA, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
1 citing paper in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Effects of postoperative knee bracing on knee function and stability after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Knee surgery, sports traumatology, arthroscopy : official journal of the ESSKA · 2025Pooled it
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
13 authors.
Funding
Abstract
purposeThe use of knee braces following anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) remains contentious. Although frequently prescribed in clinical settings, their effectiveness in enhancing postoperative recovery is uncertain. This study aimed to determine whether postoperative bracing after ACLR confers clinical benefits regarding knee function scores, pain, muscle strength, and joint stability, through a systematic review and meta-analysis.
methodsA comprehensive search of PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library was conducted through March 2025 to identify randomized controlled trials and case-control studies evaluating postoperative bracing after ACLR. Meta-analyses were performed using Review Manager (version 5.3) for the following outcomes: International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) objective score, Lysholm score, Tegner activity score, visual analogue scale (VAS) pain score, single-leg hop test, and side-to-side knee laxity. Bias risk evaluation was performed applying the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool and the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale.
resultsA total of 785 participants across 11 studies were included, with 387 allocated to bracing and 388 to non-bracing groups. Meta-analysis revealed no significant differences between groups in IKDC objective score (odds ratio [OR] = 1.18; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.65-2.14; p = 0.58), Lysholm score (mean difference [MD] = -0.30; 95% CI, -0.72 to 0.11; p = 0.15), Tegner score (MD = -0.22; 95% CI, -0.46 to 0.02; p = 0.07), VAS pain score (MD = 0.08; 95% CI, -0.15 to 0.32; p = 0.49), single-leg hop test (MD = 1.06; 95% CI, -0.01 to 2.14; p = 0.05), and anterior-posterior knee laxity (MD = -0.30; 95% CI, -0.72 to 0.11; p = 0.15). Subgroup analyses indicated significantly better Lysholm and Tegner scores among individuals without bracing when follow-up exceeded 2 years. No consistent differences were observed by graft type.
conclusionPostoperative bracing did not yield significant improvements in function, pain, strength, or stability following ACLR. Mid- to long-term outcomes (follow-up >2 years, up to 5 years) may favour non-bracing, indicating that routine brace use after ACLR is not warranted. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level II, systematic review.
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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.