Empowering Recovery: Enhancing Patient Preparedness and Education Post-anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury

Introduction Of the 3,000 anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstructions performed on U.S. military personnel annually, half have residual functional limitation or disability. Patient understanding of ACL injury and recovery is lacking, which can directly affect patient-reported outcomes and satisfaction. The purpose of this pilot curriculum is to evaluate the utility of a surgeon-provided education curriculum on patient understanding of an ACL injury and subsequent treatment to better prepare them for surgery and recovery. Materials and Methods A 6-module ACL-specific curriculum was developed to highlight critical education needs surrounding an ACL injury and treatment. To assess the curriculum's effectiveness, pre- and post-curriculum evaluations were completed to assess the learner-reported understanding and general knowledge regarding the ACL and surgery. Results Nineteen patients with ACL injuries completed the curriculum. A significant improvement in patient knowledge assessment scores was seen after completion of the curriculum (P =. 004), in addition to patient satisfaction (P <. 05). Conclusions A patient-based curriculum, in addition to standard clinical counseling of ACL injuries and subsequent treatment, can have a significant effect on patient understanding before surgery, which can, in turn, positively affect recovery and rehabilitation.