Long-term prognosis of conservatively treated acute knee ligament injuries in competitive and spare time sportsmen.

During the period 1975-1981, 221 persons were treated conservatively at Tampere University Central Hospital for an acute knee ligament injury. A total of 194 patients (88%) were reexamined 8 +/- 3 years after the injury. In the clinical and radiological results, there were no significant differences between competitive, spare time and non-sportsmen. However, the subjective and functional results were significantly better in competitive sportsmen than in the others. It was concluded that the amount of static knee instability and posttraumatic osteoarthritis depend much more on the seriousness of the primary ligament injury than on the muscle performance of the injured extremity, but by adequate thigh muscle rehabilitation the subjective and functional status of the injured knee can be significantly improved. Sports at the level of competitive activity seems to be an excellent means to achieve the best possible subjective and functional result after knee ligament injury.