TY - JOUR
T1 - Return to play and performance after patellar fracture in American professional sports
T2 - a case–control cohort analysis
AU - Moore, Brady P.
AU - Hackl, Caitlin M.
AU - Kneedler, Sterling C.
AU - Weiss, William M.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2024 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
PY - 2024
Y1 - 2024
N2 - Objectives: This study describes the effects of patellar fracture on return to play (RTP) and functional outcomes among athletes in American professional sports. Methods: Professional athletes from the National Football League (NFL), National Basketball Association (NBA), Major League Baseball (MLB), and National Hockey League (NHL) who suffered a patellar fracture between January 1965 and December 2021 were identified through injury reports and public archives. Performance scores, play time, and games played were collected for the season preceding patellar fracture and 2 seasons after RTP, and differences in recorded metrics compared to pre-injury levels and matched controls were analyzed. Results: Twenty-nine of 41 (71%) injured athletes returned to play at an average of 217 days. Among all players, play volume decreased in year 1 compared to baseline but recovered to pre-injury levels in year 2. Athletes treated operatively experienced an initial decline in performance (p < 0.01) but recovered to pre-injury performance level in year 2. Nonoperative management resulted in a decline in performance in year 2 of RTP (p = 0.02). Athletes treated operatively performed significantly worse than matched controls in year 1 of RTP (64% vs. 99%; p = 0.04) but recovered to a similar level of performance as controls in year 2 (87% vs. 91%; p = 0.90). Conclusion: A 71% rate of RTP was demonstrated among this limited cohort of 29 athletes in American professional sports after isolated patellar fracture. Although details regarding fracture characteristics and operative reports were not available for analysis, operative management was not associated with longer absence from play compared to nonoperative treatment. Despite the limitations of this study, the findings suggesting operative management may improve prospects of maintaining elite performance following RTP warrant further investigation. Level of evidence: Case-control cohort analysis; Level of evidence, 3.
AB - Objectives: This study describes the effects of patellar fracture on return to play (RTP) and functional outcomes among athletes in American professional sports. Methods: Professional athletes from the National Football League (NFL), National Basketball Association (NBA), Major League Baseball (MLB), and National Hockey League (NHL) who suffered a patellar fracture between January 1965 and December 2021 were identified through injury reports and public archives. Performance scores, play time, and games played were collected for the season preceding patellar fracture and 2 seasons after RTP, and differences in recorded metrics compared to pre-injury levels and matched controls were analyzed. Results: Twenty-nine of 41 (71%) injured athletes returned to play at an average of 217 days. Among all players, play volume decreased in year 1 compared to baseline but recovered to pre-injury levels in year 2. Athletes treated operatively experienced an initial decline in performance (p < 0.01) but recovered to pre-injury performance level in year 2. Nonoperative management resulted in a decline in performance in year 2 of RTP (p = 0.02). Athletes treated operatively performed significantly worse than matched controls in year 1 of RTP (64% vs. 99%; p = 0.04) but recovered to a similar level of performance as controls in year 2 (87% vs. 91%; p = 0.90). Conclusion: A 71% rate of RTP was demonstrated among this limited cohort of 29 athletes in American professional sports after isolated patellar fracture. Although details regarding fracture characteristics and operative reports were not available for analysis, operative management was not associated with longer absence from play compared to nonoperative treatment. Despite the limitations of this study, the findings suggesting operative management may improve prospects of maintaining elite performance following RTP warrant further investigation. Level of evidence: Case-control cohort analysis; Level of evidence, 3.
KW - Athletic injuries
KW - athletic performance
KW - patella fracture
KW - return to sport
KW - sports medicine
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85205719992&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85205719992&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/00913847.2024.2411942
DO - 10.1080/00913847.2024.2411942
M3 - Article
C2 - 39352459
AN - SCOPUS:85205719992
SN - 0091-3847
JO - Physician and Sportsmedicine
JF - Physician and Sportsmedicine
ER -