ACL surgery under the microscope: 5-Year study tracks recovery
NCT ID NCT03441659
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jul 10, 2026 · Updated 2 times
Summary
This study follows 1000 patients who have ACL reconstruction surgery to see how their knees hold up over time. Researchers check knee stability and quality of life before surgery and at 6 months, 1, 2, and 5 years after. The goal is to better understand long-term recovery and function after this common procedure.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this study could provide clearer evidence on how well ACL reconstruction works over the long term, helping doctors and patients make better treatment decisions.
- What could go wrong
- This is an observational follow-up study, not a test of a new treatment. Results may not apply to all patients, and there is no guarantee of improved outcomes.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Participants
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About 1,000 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Dec 2020
- Expected to finish
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Dec 2030
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
Who is studied
Patients with ACL lesions and undergoing to surgical ACL reconstruction
- Ages
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18 to 60 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: 1. Patients who have provided informed written written consent; 2. Patients aged between 18 and 60; 3. Patients undergoing reconstructive surgical treatment of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) Exclusion Criteria: 1. Patients unable to understand and to want; 2. Patients who have not signed informed consent;
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Stefano Zaffagnini
RECRUITINGBologna, Italia, Italy
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
- Light against pain: laser and infrared go head to head in ACL rehab
- 24 sensors map muscle oxygen after ACL surgery
- Which workout rebuilds a repaired knee best? a head-to-head trial of movement vs stability training
- Stem cell byproduct may boost ACL graft healing — trial puts it to the test
- Bone scaffold may help ACL grafts heal stronger
- Wearable shirt tracks surgeon fatigue during knee surgery