Characteristics of included studies
| Author (year) | Sport Population Recruitment source | Focus of study | RBA12 LOE13 | RTS rate (%) Months to RTS* | Graft rupture rate (%) |
| Ardern et al (2014)17 | Multiple sports Elite athletes Medical records | Psychological factors | 4 items met Level 4 | 10/24 (42%) NR | NR |
| Busfield et al (2009)18 | Basketball NBA Competition database | RTS and performance | 5 items met Level 4 | 21/27 (78%) 10.7±2.7 (6.7–15.3) | NR |
| Carey et al (2006)19 | American football NFL (RB and WR) Public domain | RTS and performance | 4 items met Level 4 | 26/33 (79%) 12.8 (9.2–43) | NR |
| Colombet et al (2002)20 | Not reported Not reported Medical records | Surgical factors (graft and fixation) | 5 items met Level 4 | 98/113 (87%) 7.7 (3–10) | NR |
| Daruwalla et al (2014)21 | American football NCAA Division I Medical records | Determinants of RTS | 3 items met Level 4 | 151/184 (82%) 8.2 | NR |
| Erickson et al (2013)23 | Soccer (association football) MLS Public domain | RTS and performance | 5 items met Level 4 | 40/52 (77%) 10.2±2.8 | 4/52 (7.7%) |
| Erickson et al (2013)24 | Freestyle skiing/snowboarding X-Games Public domain | RTS and performance | 4 items met Level 4 | 20/25 (80%) NR | 1/25 (4.0%) |
| Erickson et al (2014)22 | Ice hockey NHL Public domain | RTS and performance | 4 items met Level 4 | 35/36 (97%) 7.8±2.4 | 1/36 (2.8%) |
| Erickson et al (2014)38 | American football NFL (Quarterbacks) Public domain | RTS and performance | 4 items met Level 4 | 12/13 (92%) 13±3.9 | 1/13 (7.7%) |
| Fabbriciani et al (2005)40 | Rugby (union) Professional athletes Medical records | Surgical factors (graft and fixation) | 3 items met Level 4 | 12/12 (100%) ≤6 | 0/12 (0%) |
| Fabricant et al (2015)25 | Baseball MLB Public domain | RTS and performance | 4 items met Level 4 | 27/33 (82%) NR | NR |
| Franceschi et al (2013)26 | Not reported Not reported Medical records | Surgical factors (tunnel drilling) | 4 items met Level 4 | 29/43 (67%) NR | NR |
| Haida et al (2016)36 | Alpine skiing French national team Competition database | RTS and performance | 5 items met Level 4 | 148/148 (100%) NR | NR |
| Harris et al (2013)27 | Basketball NBA Public domain | RTS and performance | 5 items met Level 4 | 50/58 (86%) 11.6±4.1 | 2/58 (3.4%) |
| Howard et al (2016)39 | Soccer (association football) NCAA Division I Females Medical records | Determinants of RTS | 4 items met Level 4 | 66/78 (85%) 6.5±1.2 | NR |
| Ibrahim et al (2015)28 | Multiple sports Professional athletes Medical records | Surgical factors (graft and fixation) | 6 items met Level 4 | 61/66 (92%) NR | 0/66 (0%) |
| Kamath et al (2014)29 | Multiple sports NCAA Division I Medical records | RTS and reinjury | 4 items met Level 4 | 38/43 (88%) NR | 1/54 (1.9%) |
| Marcacci et al (1995)30 | Not reported Not reported Medical records | Surgical factors (timing of surgery) | 4 items met Level 4 | 16/23 (70%) NR | 0/23 (0%) |
| Myklebust et al (2003)31 | Handball Norwegian top 3 divisions Competition database | Operative vs nonoperative management | 4 items met Level 4 | 33/57 (58%) NR | 11/57 (19.3%) |
| Namdari et al (2011)32 | Basketball WNBA Public domain | RTS and performance | 4 items met Level 4 | 14/18 (78%) 11.8 (8.1–22.5) | 1/18 (5.6%) |
| Shah et al (2010)33 | American football NFL Medical records | Determinants of RTS | 5 items met Level 4 | 31/49 (63%) 10.8 | NR |
| Sikka et al (2016)37 | Ice hockey NHL Competition database | RTS and performance | 5 items met Level 4 | 42/47 (89%) 9.8 (6–21) | 4/47 (8.5%) |
| Walden et al (2011)34 | Soccer (Association football) European first leagues Medical records | Injury incidence and risk factors | 6 items met Level 4 | 61/69 (88%) 7.8±2.5 | 2/69 (2.9%) |
| Zaffagnini et al (2014)35 | Soccer (Association football) Italian main divisions Medical records | Surgical factors (graft and fixation) | 5 items met Level 4 | 20/21 (95%) 6.0±1.7 | 1/21 (4.8%) |
ACL, anterior cruciate ligament; LOE, level of evidence; MLB, Major League Baseball; MLS, Major League Soccer; NBA, National Basketball Association; NCAA, National Collegiate Athletic Association; NFL, National Football League; NHL, National Hockey League; NR, not reported; RB, running backs; RBA, risk of bias assessment; RTS, return to sport; WNBA, Women’s National Basketball Association; WR, wide receivers. *Months to RTS, where reported, given in the following format: mean ± SD (range).