Knee Immobilization for Pain Control After a Hamstring Tendon Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction A Randomized Clinical Trial

BackgroundThis study will attempt to evaluate the efficacy of knee immobilization on patient pain levels after an anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.HypothesisThere is no difference in visual analog scale pain scores 2 days after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction between patients who wear a knee immobilizer and those who do not wear a knee immobilizer.Study DesignRandomized clinical trial; Level of evidence, 1.MethodsPatients aged 18 to 40 years who met study inclusion criteria were eligible. Patients meeting intraoperative inclusion critiera were randomized (immobilizer or no immobilizer) after wound closure. The immobilizer used was a soft, unhinged brace with Velcro® straps. Preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative protocols were standardized. The primary outcome was patient self-assessed pain using a 0-to-100-mm visual analog scale at day 2 after surgery. Secondary outcomes included pain and analgesic use in the first 14 days after surgery, complications, and range of motion (app...