Abstract
Objectives:
Participation in contact or collision sports is a known risk factor for shoulder instability. Recurrent instability is a barrier to return to same level of athletic activities following surgical intervention. Previous literature has described that approximately 50% to 90% of patients return to sports following stabilization procedures. However, it is currently unknown the rate and timing of return to sports after Arthroscopic Anatomic Glenoid Reconstruction (AAGR). This study aimed to determine the rate of return and the time to return to sports of patients’ who underwent AAGR compared to a Bankart, alone.
Methods:
This is a subcohort of 100 patients who consented to a randomized controlled trial and were randomized for AAGR or Bankart procedure (1:1 ratio). The subgroup consists of individuals at a minimum 2-year follow up and participate in a sport at either the recreational or competitive level. A descriptive analysis was completed on the percentage of patients that returned to their preinjury sport, as well as when they returned and compared between groups. Descriptive reporting on why patients did not return was included.
Results:
Age, follow up, sex, and sport level were all statistically similar between the 2 groups. The rate to return was significantly larger for patients in the AAGR group (78%) compared with the Bankart group (60%). For those who did return to sports, time to return was not significantly different between the AAGR group (9.48 ± 4.2 months) and Bankart group (10.2 ± 6.2 months). For those who did not return in the Bankart group, redislocation was the greatest factor (38%). In the AAGR group, prioritizing work and life (30%) and lack of confidence (30%) were the top reasons for not returning.
Conclusions:
AAGR demonstrated superior rate of return to sports compared to those who underwent a Bankart repair. Patients in the Bankart group did not return due to redislocation events, whereas individuals in AAGR did not return due to a lack of confidence or prioritizing their work and life. These results can aid in setting realistic expectations for patients undergoing AAGR and can help guide discussions around postoperative rehabilitation.