This study investigated whether young soccer players who underwent anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) still display risky movement patterns after being cleared to return to sport (RTS). Researchers compared 21 pediatric soccer players with ACLR to 40 healthy matched controls during realistic on-field soccer-specific cutting maneuvers, including both planned and unplanned direction changes.

Using wearable motion sensors, the study analyzed lower-limb, pelvis, and trunk biomechanics during cutting actions commonly associated with noncontact ACL injuries.

The results showed that players with ACLR continued to demonstrate several biomechanical alterations linked to increased ACL injury risk, especially during unplanned cutting tasks. Compared with healthy players, they exhibited:

• Greater hip flexion and knee valgus
• Reduced knee flexion
• Reduced lower-limb flexion range of motion
• Increased pelvis and trunk movement
• Greater pelvic drop and trunk tilt

These findings suggest that, despite RTS clearance, young soccer players with ACLR may still present movement deficits during sport-specific actions that could increase reinjury risk. The study highlights the importance of assessing cutting biomechanics in realistic football scenarios as part of the RTS evaluation process.