A critical appraisal of "Regentk and physiotherapy support knee function after anterior cruciate ligament rupture without surgery after 1 year: a randomized controlled trial"

The critical appraisal of this article was completed within the context of the clinical question: In young adult patients suffering from a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), can a physical therapy program alone produce an outcome equal to, or greater than, a treatment plan requiring surgery. This appraisal is to determine whether a conservative treatment for an ACL injury can provide the best outcome for patients. Providing patients with the best possible outcome should be paramount for the physical therapist. This study investigates the effectiveness of two types of conservative treatment. The study is a randomized controlled trial, twenty participants, of no significant difference, were divided into two treatment groups, both receiving conservative treatment for a ruptured ACL, RegentK and myofascial mobilization technique (MMT). Both groups underwent treatment for one year with outcome measures being taken before, during, and after the treatment. The outcome measures used were MRI, International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) 2000 score, and standard clinical test. The authors clearly reported these scores and after analysis, both groups were found to have no significant difference. Both groups were found to have returned to full function based on the outcome measures. The authors used quality evidence for the discussion and support of their findings and further connected the results of this study to current literature. The article presented for critical appraisal supports the consideration of conservative treatment for ACL recovery to maximize the outcome for each patient.