Preoperative health status of patients with four knee conditions treated with arthroscopy.

Normative preoperative Short Form-12 Health Survey components summary scores have not been reported for patients who have knee conditions treated with arthroscopy. During one calendar year, 269 consecutive patients with a knee injury (119 meniscus lesions, 73 anterior cruciate ligament ruptures, 54 articular cartilage lesions, and 23 with patellar instability) completed the Short Form-12 Health Survey before medical evaluation. Mental Component Scale and Physical Component Scale scores were computed. Scores were compared with previously published normative and age-specific data for several medical conditions and the United States general population. With the number of patients available, no significant differences were detected between knee conditions for the Mental Component Scale and Physical Component Scale scores. In general, Physical Component Scale scores among patients with knee conditions were similar to previously reported Physical Component Scale scores for patients with orthopaedic shoulder conditions and significantly lower than the United States population norms. These data can be used as historic control groups to represent patients with knee conditions requiring arthroscopy. Age-specific Mental Component Scale and Physical Component Scale scores are indicated when comparing groups with a limited age range.