Research
Recoverying from ACL injuries
Culvenor, A. G., Girdwood, M. A., Juhl, C. B., Patterson, B. E., Haberfield, M. J., Holm, P. M., Bricca, A., Whittaker, J. L., Roos, E. M., & Crossley, K. M. (2022). Rehabilitation after anterior cruciate ligament and meniscal injuries: a best-evidence synthesis of systematic reviews for the OPTIKNEE consensus. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 56(24), 1445–1453. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2022-105495
Comparing rehabilitation first to early ACL reconstruction surgery
Frobell RB, Roos EM, Roos HP, Ranstam J, Lohmander LS. A Randomized Trial of Treatment for Acute Anterior Cruciate Ligament Tears. New England Journal of Medicine 2010; 363(4): 331-42. https://nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa0907797
Reijman M, Eggerding V, van Es E, et al. Early surgical reconstruction versus rehabilitation with elective delayed reconstruction for patients with anterior cruciate ligament rupture: COMPARE randomised controlled trial. BMJ 2021; 372: n375. https://bmj.com/content/bmj/372/bmj.n375.full.pdf
Cross Bracing Protocol
Filbay, S. R., Dowsett, M., Chaker Jomaa, M., Rooney, J., Sabharwal, R., Lucas, P., Van Den Heever, A., Kazaglis, J., Merlino, J., Moran, M., Allwright, M., Kuah, D. E. K., Durie, R., Roger, G., Cross, M., & Cross, T. (2023). Healing of acute anterior cruciate ligament rupture on MRI and outcomes following non-surgical management with the Cross Bracing Protocol. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 57(23), 1490–1497. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2023-106931
Research underway
The Enhancing Non-operative Care Of Rupture: Equity and Effectiveness (ENCORE) study is currently being run in Aotearoa New Zealand by Otago University. It compares comprehensive rehab alone to the Cross Bracing Protocol (including rehab). More information is at: www.otago.ac.nz/encore.
The EMBRACE study is currently being run in Australia by the University of Melbourne. It compares the Cross Bracing Protocol to early ACL reconstruction. More information is at: www.embracestudy.com.au.