Comparison between home-based and supervised rehabilitation protocols after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PURPOSE

This systematic review and meta-analysis assesses the comparative effectiveness of home-based and supervised rehabilitation protocols following anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction, with a focus on functional recovery and muscle strength.

METHODS

Registered in PROSPERO (CRD42024585478) and following PRISMA guidelines, we searched Web of Science, PubMed, Ovid MEDLINE, and Cochrane. For the quality assessment, the Cochrane Collaboration risk of bias (RoB) tool was used. Review Manager v5.4 was used for the analysis.

RESULTS

Twelve studies were included qualitatively, and seven quantitatively. Outcomes included subjective knee scores (Lysholm, Tegner, IKDC) and quadriceps/hamstring strength measures. Our findings indicated a 19% improvement in subjective knee scores for home-based protocols in some studies. However, for hamstring strength measures, the supervised protocol was superior (SMD = -0.48, P = 0.02).

CONCLUSION

Overall, home-based rehabilitation outcomes were comparable to supervised programs in functional recovery. However, supervised approaches slightly enhanced muscle strength. Supervised rehabilitation is recommended to optimize strength, especially for athletes, though further research is needed to assess its impact on return to sport.