Analysis on the Modified Lysholm Functional Protocol Among Patients With Normal Knees

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the modified Lysholm protocol among patients with knees that were considered to be normal (without previous complaints or pathological conditions in this region). METHOD: Between January 2010 and March 2010, a prospective study was conducted on 300 patients with orthopedic complaints in other regions of the body who came to the emergency service of our hospital. The inclusion criterion among these patients was the absence of complaints or previous surgery in the knee that was considered to be dominant. The age range was from 16 to 40 years, with an average of 28.8 years. Our study group consisted of 153 males and 147 females. In the modified Lysholm system, the maximum score is 100 points and this includes functional and objective criteria. Altogether, 50% of the total score is based on symptoms of pain and instability. RESULTS: The average score using the Lysholm protocol was 95 points in the knees that were considered normal. Males had higher scores than females. CONCLUSION: These patients with knees that were considered normal did not achieve the maximum score when evaluated using the modified Lysholm protocol. This study suggests that this line of research on functional evaluation systems for the knee is open for further evaluations. Moreover, creation and development of new forms of functional assessment for the knee should be investigated in order to achieve a worldwide consensus.