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Athletes experience a high rate of return to sport following hip arthroscopy

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Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy Aims and scope

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this systematic review was to evaluate the rate at which patients return to sport following arthroscopic hip surgery.

Methods

The databases MEDLINE, EMBASE, and PubMed were searched by two reviewers, and titles, abstracts, and full-text articles screened in duplicate. English language studies investigating hip arthroscopy with reported return to sport outcomes were included. A meta-analysis of proportions was used to combine the rate of return to sports using a random effects model.

Results

Overall, 38 studies with 1773 patients (72% male), with a mean age of 27.6 years (range 11–65) and mean follow-up of 28.1 months (range 3–144) were included in this review. The pooled rate of return to sport was: 93% [95% confidence interval (CI) = 87–97%] at any level of participation; 82% (95% CI = 74–88%) at preoperative level of sporting activity; 89% (95% CI = 84–93%) for competitive athletes; 95% (95% CI = 89–98%) in pediatric patients; and 94% (95% CI 89.2–98.0%) in professional athletes. There was significant correlation between a shorter duration of preoperative symptoms and a higher rate of return to sports (Pearson correlation coefficient = − 0.711, p = 0.021).

Conclusion

Hip arthroscopy yields a high rate of return to sport, in addition to marked improvement in pain and function in the majority of patients. The highest rates of return to sport were noted in pediatric patients, professional athletes, and those with a shorter duration of preoperative symptoms. This study provides clinicians with evidence-based data on athletes’ abilities to return to sport after arthroscopic hip surgery and identifies sub-populations with the highest rates of return to sport.

Level of evidence

IV, systematic review of Level II–IV studies.

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Funding

None were declared.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Orthopaedic Surgery, Department of Surgery, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada

    Muzammil Memon, Jeffrey Kay & Olufemi R. Ayeni

  2. Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada

    Philip Hache

  3. Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence and Impact, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada

    Nicole Simunovic

  4. Houston Methodist Orthopedics and Sports Medicine, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX, 77030, USA

    Joshua D. Harris

  5. Hip Arthroscopy Australia, Richmond, VIC, Australia

    John O’Donnell

  6. McMaster University Medical Centre, 1200 Main St West, 4E15, Hamilton, ON, L8N 3Z5, Canada

    Olufemi R. Ayeni

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  1. Muzammil Memon
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  2. Jeffrey Kay
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  3. Philip Hache
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  4. Nicole Simunovic
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  5. Joshua D. Harris
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  7. Olufemi R. Ayeni
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Correspondence to Olufemi R. Ayeni.

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This is a systematic review of the literature and no ethics approval is required.

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Memon, M., Kay, J., Hache, P. et al. Athletes experience a high rate of return to sport following hip arthroscopy. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc 27, 3066–3104 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00167-018-4929-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00167-018-4929-z

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