Online Videos Provide Poor Information Quality, Reliability, and Accuracy Regarding Rehabilitation and Return to Sport After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction

PURPOSE: To investigate the information quality available on YouTube regarding rehabilitation and return to sport (RTS) after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR).

METHODS: By use of The Onion Router software and predefined search terms, 140 YouTube videos regarding rehabilitation and RTS after ACLR were systematically included. Three scoring systems were used to analyze the included videos: (1) Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) benchmark criteria; (2) Global Quality Score (GQS); and (3) self-developed scores for rehabilitation after ACLR and RTS after ACLR, following American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons guidelines and current evidence.

RESULTS: The vast majority of the included videos offered poor information quality, reliability, and accuracy. Videos that were uploaded by medically trained professionals showed significantly higher information quality regarding rehabilitation (P = .006 for JAMA score, P < .001 for GQS, and P = .001 for rehabilitation score) and regarding RTS (P < .001 for JAMA score, P < .001 for GQS, and P < .001 for RTS score) compared with commercial videos or personal-testimony videos. Multivariate linear regression also revealed medically trained professionals as significant predictors of higher information quality regarding rehabilitation (β = 0.496 [P < .001] for JAMA score, β = 1.3 [P < .001] for GQS, and β = 3.7 [P < .001] for rehabilitation score) and RTS (β = 0.754 [P < .001] for JAMA score, β = 1.3 [P < .001] for GQS, and β = 5.3 [P < .001] for RTS score).

CONCLUSIONS: The average information quality, reliability, and accuracy of YouTube videos regarding rehabilitation and RTS after ACLR are poor. The information quality of related YouTube videos from medically trained professionals is significantly higher compared with commercial videos or personal-testimony videos.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Current YouTube videos regarding rehabilitation and RTS after ACLR do not meet the necessary quality standards. Physicians should also be able to provide alternative sources of high-quality information.