Preoperative psychological competitive ability has little relationship with subjective knee function and return to sports at 6 months postoperatively in patients with anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction

Objective: This prospective study aimed to investigate the relationship between preoperative psychological competitive ability and preoperative and 6 months postoperative subjective knee function in patients undergoing anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. Methods: Eighty-four patients who underwent ACL reconstruction and had a Tegner Activity Scale score of 6 or more were included in this study. Preoperatively, all patients were administered the Diagnostic Inventory of Psychological Competitive Ability for Athletes (DIPCA.3) for psychological competitive ability assessment and the International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) Subjective Knee Evaluation Form for subjective knee function assessment. The IKDC subjective score was re-evaluated 6 months postoperatively. We evaluated the associations of volition for competition, mental stability and concentration, confidence, strategic ability, and cooperation (DIPCA.3 factors) with the IKDC subjective score preoperatively and 6 months postoperatively. Furthermore, patients were classified into two groups according to whether they could return to participate in the entire practice and compared the DIPCA.3 total score and IKDC subjective score. Results: The DIPCA.3 confidence score negatively correlated with the preoperative IKDC subjective score (beta = -0.34, p = 0.04). However, there was no association between the DIPCA.3 score for all variables and IKDC subjective score at 6 months after ACL reconstruction. Moreover, the DIPCA.3 total score was not related to return to participate in the entire practice 6 months after ACL reconstruction. Conclusion: Psychological competitive ability is not associated with a return to participate in the entire practice, and a low preoperative IKDC subjective score should not be viewed too negatively.