BACKGROUND: Medial patellofemoral ligament (MPFL) reconstruction and repair continue to gain acceptance as viable treatment options for recurrent patellar instability in patients who wish to return to sports after surgery. Return-to-play guidelines with objective or subjective criteria for athletes after MPFL surgery, however, have not been uniformly defined. PURPOSE: To determine whether a concise and objective protocol exists that may help athletes return to their sport more safely after MPFL surgery. STUDY DESIGN: Systematic review. METHODS: The clinical evidence for return to play after MPFL reconstruction was evaluated through a systematic review of the literature. Studies that measured outcomes for isolated MPFL surgery with greater than a 12-month follow-up were included in our study. We analyzed each study for a return-to-play timeline, rehabilitation protocol, and any measurements used to determine a safe return to play after surgery. RESULTS: Fifty-three studies met the inclusion criteria, with a total of 1756 patients and 1838 knees. The most commonly cited rehabilitation guidelines included weightbearing restrictions and range of motion restrictions in 90.6% and 84.9% of studies, respectively. Thirty-five of 53 studies (66.0%) included an expected timeline for either return to play or return to full activity. Ten of 53 studies (18.9%) in our analysis included either objective or subjective criteria to determine return to activity within their rehabilitation protocol. CONCLUSION: Most studies in our analysis utilized time-based criteria for determining return to play after MPFL surgery, while only a minority utilized objective or subjective patient-centric criteria. Further investigation is needed to determine safe and effective guidelines for return to play after MPFL reconstruction and repair.
BACKGROUND: Medial patellofemoral ligament (MPFL) reconstruction and repair continue to gain acceptance as viable treatment options for recurrent patellar instability in patients who wish to return to sports after surgery. Return-to-play guidelines with objective or subjective criteria for athletes after MPFL surgery, however, have not been uniformly defined. PURPOSE: To determine whether a concise and objective protocol exists that may help athletes return to their sport more safely after MPFL surgery. STUDY DESIGN: Systematic review. METHODS: The clinical evidence for return to play after MPFL reconstruction was evaluated through a systematic review of the literature. Studies that measured outcomes for isolated MPFL surgery with greater than a 12-month follow-up were included in our study. We analyzed each study for a return-to-play timeline, rehabilitation protocol, and any measurements used to determine a safe return to play after surgery. RESULTS: Fifty-three studies met the inclusion criteria, with a total of 1756 patients and 1838 knees. The most commonly cited rehabilitation guidelines included weightbearing restrictions and range of motion restrictions in 90.6% and 84.9% of studies, respectively. Thirty-five of 53 studies (66.0%) included an expected timeline for either return to play or return to full activity. Ten of 53 studies (18.9%) in our analysis included either objective or subjective criteria to determine return to activity within their rehabilitation protocol. CONCLUSION: Most studies in our analysis utilized time-based criteria for determining return to play after MPFL surgery, while only a minority utilized objective or subjective patient-centric criteria. Further investigation is needed to determine safe and effective guidelines for return to play after MPFL reconstruction and repair.
Authors: Eoghan T Hurley; Martin S Davey; M Shazil Jamal; Amit K Manjunath; Michael J Alaia; Eric J Strauss Journal: Cartilage Date: 2019-12-19 Impact factor: 3.117
Authors: Kameron Shams; Christopher A DiCesare; Brian M Grawe; Eric Wall; Shital N Parikh; Marc Galloway; Katie Kitchen; Kim Barber Foss; Staci M Thomas; Alicia M Montalvo; Angelo J Colosimo; Gregory D Myer Journal: Orthop J Sports Med Date: 2019-02-15
Authors: Colleen M Moreland; K Aaron Shaw; Robert Burks; Michael Baird; Joshua Hattaway; Stephen A Parada; Brian R Waterman Journal: Orthop J Sports Med Date: 2021-06-11