Tests for Evaluating Psychological Factors Related to Return to Sport After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction: A Scoping Review

Objective Psychological evaluation tests are widely used to assess athletes' readiness after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACL-R), focusing on emotions, confidence in performance, and risk perception regarding return to sport.This scoping review aimed to identify and analyze psychological evaluation tools used to measure athletes' readiness after ACL-R.Methods A scoping review was conducted using four electronic databases: PubMed, Scopus, CENTRAL (Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials), and Web of Science.The search period spanned from 2003 to October 1, 2024.Two independent reviewers screened all records.Extracted data included publication year, study setting, participant demographics, purpose of psychological assessment, and psychometric properties of the tests.Results Six studies involving six psychological assessment tools were included.These instruments were the Anterior Cruciate Ligament-Return to Sport after Injury scale (ACL-RSI), Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia (TSK), Injury-Psychological Readiness to Return to Sport (I-PRRS) scale, Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS), International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) questionnaire, and the Short Version of the ACL-RSI. ConclusionThe original ACL-RSI is a 12-item instrument, whereas the short version includes 6 items, both scored using a 10-cm visual analog scale ranging from 0 to 100.The I-PRRS is a 6-item scale measuring injured athletes' psychological readiness to return to sport.The TSK is a 17-item self-reported questionnaire assessing fear of reinjury or physical activity.The IKDC is an 18-item, knee-specific, patient-reported outcome measure evaluating symptoms, function, and sports activity.The KOOS is a knee-specific instrument designed to assess subjective knee function.Based on available evidence, these instruments demonstrate acceptable validity and reliability and can be considered appropriate tools for evaluating psychological readiness after ACL-R.