Preoperative psychological competitive ability is associated with emotional states six months after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction with hamstring autograft: A prospective study

Abstract

Abstract Background Psychological state has been reported as one of the factors strongly related to return to sports after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. However, its relationship with the emotional state remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate whether the preoperative psychological competitive ability is related to emotional states preoperatively and six months after ACL reconstruction. Methods Patients with a Tegner activity level of six or higher who underwent ACL reconstruction between 2015 and 2020 were divided into two groups according to their scores on the Diagnostic Inventory of Psychological Competitive Ability for Athletes (DIPCA.3) score. The emotional states preoperatively and at six months postoperative were assessed using the Profile of Mood States, 2nd Edition (POMS2) and compared between the groups. In addition, the possibility of returning to sports was compared between the groups based on participation in the entire practice 6 months postoperatively. Results Eighty-four patients were included and divided into high (DIPCA.3 score of 4 or higher, n = 23) and low (DIPCA.3 less than 4, n = 61) groups. Vigor-activity and friendliness were significantly higher in the high group than in the low group preoperatively. The difference was even greater at six months after ACL reconstruction. In addition, the high group showed statistically better results postoperatively for fatigue-inertia and total mood disturbance. Return to sports rates did not significantly differ between the groups (high group 56.5% vs. low group 54.1%). Conclusion Athletes with higher psychological competitive ability were in a positive emotional state preoperatively and six months after ACL reconstruction. However, psychological competitive ability did not affect the participation rate in the entire practice at 6 months postoperatively.