Determinants of self-efficacy in the rehabilitation of patients with anterior cruciate ligament injury.

OBJECTIVE To explore physical and psychological measures believed to determine patients' perceived self-efficacy in the rehabilitation of patients with anterior cruciate ligament injury. DESIGN An explorative descriptive study. PATIENTS A total of 116 patients with an anterior cruciate ligament deficient or reconstructed knee. METHOD At one visit; 12 months post-injury/reconstruction, patients reported their perceived self-efficacy on the Knee Self-Efficacy Scale. Thirty-nine other measures related to self-efficacy were also documented. A linear regression model was applied to identify determinants of perceived self-efficacy. RESULTS 40% of the variance in the complete Knee Self-Efficacy Scale was explained by the Lysholm score, Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome ScoreSport/Recreation, Internal Locus of Control and Locus of Control by Chance. The variance in patients' present perceived self-efficacy was explained to 41% by the same measures. Perceived self-efficacy of future capability was explained to 38% by the variance in the Lysholm score, Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome ScoreSport/Recreation, TegnerPresent level and Internal Locus of Control. CONCLUSION Self-reported symptoms/functions and Internal Locus of Control were the most important determinants of self-efficacy in patients with an anterior cruciate ligament injury. In order to strengthen self-efficacy, these determinants should be considered by the clinicians involved in the rehabilitation.