100-point patient-reported knee function questionnaire.
The Lysholm Knee Scoring Scale is a patient-reported outcome measure that scores knee function out of 100 across eight domains: limp, use of support, locking, instability, pain, swelling, stair-climbing and squatting. It was originally developed for ligament instability but is now widely applied after ACL reconstruction and meniscal surgery to track subjective knee function over time.
It gives clinicians a quick, standardised way to gauge how a patient's knee is functioning day-to-day, supporting conversations about rehab progress, readiness to advance loading, and whether persistent symptoms like instability or locking need further review. Its item weighting toward mechanical symptoms makes it particularly sensitive to problems a generic outcome measure might miss.
The patient completes a short self-administered questionnaire, with each domain scored according to a fixed weighting scheme and the items summed to a total out of 100, higher scores indicating better function. It is typically collected at baseline and at follow-up intervals post-surgery, and is often used alongside other PROMs or objective tests such as hop tests or laxity measures to build a fuller picture of recovery.
Small between-group or within-patient differences of only a few points are commonly below any accepted minimal clinically important difference and should not be treated as a meaningful change. The heavy weighting toward instability and locking means it may under-represent pain or activity limitations in patients without mechanical symptoms, and ceiling effects can occur in higher-functioning or younger athletic populations.
This guide was auto-drafted and is pending editorial review.