A multimedia package for patient understanding and rehabilitation of non-contact anterior cruciate ligament injuries

Non-contact anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury is one of the most common ligament injuries in the body. Many patients’ receive graft surgery to repair the damage, but have to undertake an extensive period of rehabilitation. However, non-compliance and lack of understanding of the injury, healing process and rehabilitation means patient’s return to activities before effective structural integrity of the graft has been reached. When clinicians educate the patient, to encourage compliance with treatment and rehabilitation, the only tools that are currently widely in use are static plastic models, line diagrams and pamphlets. As modern technology grows in use in anatomical education, we have developed a unique educational and training package for patient’s to use in gaining a better understanding of their injury and treatment plan. We have combined cadaveric dissections of the knee (and captured with high resolution digital images) with reconstructed 3D modules from the Visible Human dataset, computer generated animations, and images to produce a multimedia package, which can be used to educate the patient in their knee anatomy, the injury, the healing process and their rehabilitation, and how this links into key stages of improving graft integrity. It is hoped that this will improve patient compliance with their rehabilitation programme, and better long-term prognosis in returning to normal or near-normal activities. Feedback from healthcare professionals about this package has been positive and encouraging for its long-term use.