13 Jul Athletes With Shoulder Instability Better Able To Return To Sport After Arthroscopic Repair

MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Brett D. Owens, MD
Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery
Brown University Alpert Medical School
Providence, RI

Medical Research: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings?

Response: Last year at this meeting we presented the results of a prospective multicenter study of collegiate contact athletes who experienced in-season shoulder instability events. While most were able to return to sport within a week, only roughly one quarter were able to successfully return without recurrent instability. We continued to follow this cohort and 39 athletes with additional eligibility the subsequent season. We found that 90% of the 29 who underwent arthroscopic stabilization successfully returned the next season compared with 40% of the 10 underwent nonoperative treatment

Medical Research: What should clinicians and patients take away from your report?

Response: Arthroscopic stabilization of shoulder instability events in collegiate athletes results in a greater than 5 times increased likelihood of successful return to play in the following season compared with nonoperative treatment.

Medical Research: What recommendations do you have for future research as a result of this study?

Response: This works underscores the importance of early arthroscopic stabilization of shoulder instability in high risk patients.We need to continue to explore the incremental risk associated with each recurrent instability event in athletes to provide optimal counseling.

Citation:

Abstract presented at the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine

Treatment of shoulder instability helps return collegiate athletes to playing field

Brett D. Owens, MD (2015). Athletes With Shoulder Instability Better Able To Return To Sport After Arthroscopic Repair 

Last Updated on July 13, 2015 by Marie Benz MD FAAD