Post-operative bracing after ACL reconstruction has no effect on knee joint effusion. A prospective, randomized study

60 patients undergoing anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) surgery were included in this study. The study was conducted in order to assess the influence of a bracing protocol on postoperative knee joint effusion (KJE), determine which patient characteristics are associated with the presence of KJE, and whether 3 month KJE was predictive of 1 year outcomes. Findings indicated no significant association between the bracing protocol and KJE. Characteristics predictive of knee joint effusion were prior meniscus injury, pre-injury Tegner activity level, and a higher baseline Lysholm score. Additionally, females with KJE at 3 months tended to report lower 1 year subjective scores.