Risk of Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury in Obese Population: A Retrospective Study in a Single Center in Saudi Arabia

Abstract Background: The Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury is among the most common orthopedic injuries(1). The Elevated Body Mass Index (BMI), can contribute to non-contact ACL injury(5). This study aims to assess the risk of (ACL) injury in obese people (BMI) more than 30 Kg\m2).Methodology: This is a retrospective cohort series was done in a tertiary care center in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia . A total of 302 patients, who had ACL reconstruction surgery in a period between (January 2008 to December 2018) were included. (BMI) was classified based on WHO classification, baseline characteristics data include: Age, gender, nationality, type of injury, classification of injury, mechanism of injury, and mode of injury. Binary regression analysis was done to predict the effect of obesity on a selected baseline characteristic of patients (type of sport, Isolated\ combined, type of injury, reinjury rate). Result: Our study showed that sport related injury is significantly higher among overweight and obese group (P: 0,007). Moreover, the combined ACL tear was higher among overweight and obese group (P: 0,001). In binary regression analysis for the selected baseline characteristics we found that obese people have chance to develop combined (ACL) injury 2 times higher when compared to those with isolated ACL injury with a p value of (0,003). However, the other selected variables like mode of injury, type of sport, mechanism of injury and type of graft were not significance. Conclusion: Elevated BMI was associated with higher risk of developing ACL tear.