Comorbidity‐related quality of life in anterior cruciate ligament insufficiency: A cross‐sectional study involving 282 candidates for arthroscopic reconstruction

Background and purpose Comorbidity‐adjusted health‐related quality of life (HRQoL) in anterior cruciate ligament insufficiency (ACLI) has not been assessed to date. A cross‐sectional study was conducted to test the hypothesis that HRQoL in ACLI is comorbidity‐related and differs from the Italian norm.Methods 282 chronically ACL‐insufficient candidates for arthroscopic reconstruction with or without meniscal and/or focal chondral lesions were studied. Knee function was evaluated with IKDC form, HRQoL with SF‐36, and associated medical comorbidities with a self‐administered questionnaire allowing calculation of a comorbidity index (CI). Patients were stratified according to CI into subgroup A (CI = 0) and subgroup B (CI > 0). The SF‐36 profiles in the whole sample and in subgroups A and B were compared with the Italian norm.Results Of the 282 patients, 82 had associated comorbidity and 200 did not. Patients with comorbidity were older and had a higher degree of knee laxity than patients without comorbidity...

Introduction to the "Scoliosis" Journal Brace Technology Thematic Series: increasing existing knowledge and promoting future developments

Bracing is the main non-surgical intervention in the treatment of idiopathic scoliosis during growth, in hyperkyphosis (and Scheuermann disease) and occasionally for spondylolisthesis; it can be used in adult scoliosis, in the elderly when pathological curves lead to a forward leaning posture or in adults after traumatic injuries. Bracing can be defined as the application of external corrective forces to the trunk; rigid supports or elastic bands can be used and braces can be custom-made or prefabricated. The state of research in the field of conservative treatment is insufficient and while it can be stated that there is some evidence to support bracing, we must also acknowledge that today we do not have a common and generally accepted knowledge base, and that instead, individual expertise still prevails, giving rise to different schools of thought on brace construction and principles of correction. The only way to improve the knowledge and understanding of brace type and brace function is to establish a single and comprehensive source of information about bracing. This is what the Scoliosis Journal is going to do through the "Brace Technology" Thematic Series, where technical papers coming from the different schools will be published