Substantial variability in outcome reporting patterns exists among high-impact studies of ACL reconstruction. Such variability may create challenges in interpreting results and pooling them across different studies.

Background:The risk of depression and the fear of reinjury were documented in recent investigations of patients after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) ruptures. The extent of psychological trauma accompanying these injuries among young athletes, however, has never been assessed.Hypothesis:Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms after ACL injury are present among young athletes with high athletic identities.Study DesignCase series; Level of evidence, 4.Methods:Patients ≤21 years of age who had suffered an acute ACL rupture were consecutively recruited at a tertiary care center. Patients completed the Horowitz Impact of Event Scale - Revised (IES-R) to analyze for PTSD symptomatology, the Athletic Identity Measurement Scale, and an athlete specialization instrument created at the authors’ institution.Results:A total of 24 patients were consecutively recruited. The mean patient age was 14.5 ± 2.7 years, and 50% of patients were male. More than 87.5% of patients experienced avoidance symptoms, 83.3% acknowledged symptoms of intrusion, and 75% had symptoms of hyperarousal. Patients aged 15 to 21 years incurred a higher severity of PTSD symptoms than younger patients (P = .033). Female patients experienced greater emotional trauma than male patients (P = .017). Finally, patients with high athletic identities experienced greater emotional trauma than those with lesser athletic identities, but this finding was not statistically significant (P = .14).Conclusion:Following ACL rupture, young athletes experience significant emotional trauma, including symptoms of avoidance, intrusion, and hyperarousal. High school and college athletes, female athletes, and patients with high athletic identities may be most susceptible.

Background:Specialization in young athletes has been linked to overuse injuries, burnout, and decreased satisfaction. Despite continued opposition from the medical community, epidemiological studies suggest the frequency is increasing.Hypothesis:Extrinsic pressures in addition to individual aspirations drive this national trend in sports specialization.Study Design:Descriptive epidemiology study.Level of Evidence:Level 3.Methods:A novel instrument assessing the driving factors behind youth specialization was generated by an interdisciplinary team of medical professionals. Surveys were administered to patients and athletes in the department’s sports medicine clinic.Results:The survey was completed by 235 athletes between 7 and 18 years of age, with a mean age of 13.8 ± 3.0 years. Athletes specialized at a mean age of 8.1 years, and 31% of athletes played a single sport while 58% played multiple sports but had a preferred sport. More than 70% of athletes had collegiate or professional ambitions, and 60% played their primary sport for 9 or more months per year, with players who had an injury history more likely to play year-round (P < 0.01). Approximately one-third of players reported being told by a coach not to participate in other sports, with specialized athletes reporting this significantly more often (P = 0.04). Half of the athletes reported that sports interfered with their academic performance, with older players stating this more frequently (P < 0.01).Conclusion:Young athletes are increasingly specializing in a single sport before starting high school. While intrinsic drive may identify healthy aspirations, extrinsic influences are prevalent in specialized athletes.Clinical Relevance:Extrinsic factors contributing to youth specialization were identified and compounded the deleterious sequelae of youth athlete specialization.

Although the incidence of publicly reported concussions in the NBA has not changed appreciably over the past 9 seasons, the time missed after a concussion has. While players often returned in the same game in the 2006 season, the combination of implemented policy, national coverage, medical staff awareness, and player education may have contributed to players now missing an average of 4 to 6 games after a concussion. A multitude of factors has resulted in more conservative return-to-play practices for NBA players after concussions.

Background:Youth athlete specialization has been linked to decreased enjoyment, burnout, and increased injury risk, although the impact of specialization on athletic success is unknown. The extent to which parents exert extrinsic influence on this phenomenon remains unclear.Purpose/Hypothesis:The goal of this study was to assess parental influences placed on young athletes to specialize. It was hypothesized that parents generate both direct and indirect pressures on specialized athletes.Study Design:Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3.Methods:A survey tool was designed by an interdisciplinary medical team to evaluate parental influence on youth specialization. Surveys were administered to parents of the senior author’s orthopaedic pediatric patients.Results:Of the 211 parents approached, 201 (95.3%) completed the assessment tool. One-third of parents stated that their children played a single sport only, 53.2% had children who played multiple sports but had a favorite sport, and 13.4% had children who balanced their multiple sports equally. Overall, 115 (57.2%) parents hoped for their children to play collegiately or professionally, and 100 (49.7%) parents encouraged their children to specialize in a single sport. Parents of highly specialized and moderately specialized athletes were more likely to report directly influencing their children’s specialization (P = .038) and to expect their children to play collegiately or professionally (P = .014). Finally, parents who hired personal trainers for their children were more likely to believe that their children held collegiate or professional aspirations (P = .009).Conclusion:Parents influence youth athlete specialization both directly and by investment in elite coaching and personal instruction. Parents of more specialized athletes exert more influence than parents of unspecialized athletes.

Background: While the indications for primary hip arthroscopic surgery in treating femoroacetabular abnormalities continue to be defined, the indications and outcomes for revision hip arthroscopic surgery remain ambiguous. However, revision hip arthroscopic surgery is performed in 5% to 14% of patients after their index procedure. While patient-reported outcomes (PROs) generally improve after revision procedures, the extent of their improvement is not well defined. Purpose: To determine the outcomes and efficacy of revision hip arthroscopic surgery in patients who remain symptomatic after their index procedure. Study Design: Meta-analysis and systematic review. Methods: The terms “hip arthroscopy,”“revisions,”“outcomes,” and “femoroacetabular impingement” were searched in PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar. After screening, 15 studies were included for review. In addition to hip-specific metrics, functional outcome measures were included. Pooled estimates and 95% CIs were calculated using inverse variance methods. Results: A total of 4765 hips in 4316 patients were identified. The most common indication for revision surgery was inadequate bony resection during the index procedure. Meta-analysis showed that all PROs improved significantly from baseline to final follow-up after revision hip arthroscopic surgery. Notably, the modified Harris Hip Score (mHHS) increased a mean of 17.20 points after revision hip arthroscopic surgery, the Hip Outcome Score–Activities of Daily Living (HOS-ADL) improved by 13.98, and the visual analog scale (VAS) for pain decreased by 3.16. However, when compared with primary hip arthroscopic surgery, the mean PRO scores after revision hip arthroscopic surgery were lower. After revision hip arthroscopic surgery, the rates of conversion to total hip arthroplasty ranged from 0% to 14.3%, and the rates of further arthroscopic revision ranged from 2% to 14%. Conclusion: Inadequate bony resection represents the most common indication for revision hip arthroscopic surgery. PROs improve significantly after revision hip arthroscopic surgery but remain lower than those of patients undergoing primary hip arthroscopic surgery.

Level V-survey of expert opinion and experience.

Introduction: Orthopaedic surgeons prescribe an estimated 7.7% of all US opioid prescriptions, and understanding prescribing patterns is important to curtail the inappropriate dispensing of these drugs. The purpose of this study was to characterize recent trends in opioid prescribing patterns by orthopaedic surgeons within a Medicare population and to identify demographical characteristics associated with the highest prescribers. Methods: This study used Medicare Part D beneficiary prescription between 2013 and 2016. The number of prescriptions written per orthopaedic surgeon, prescriptions received by each beneficiary, and the length of each prescription were compared across years. Top prescribers were identified and compared with the remainder of prescribers to identify differences in sex, professional degree, and geographic regions. Results: Between 2013 and 2016, an average of 24,100 unique orthopaedic prescribers were identified. There was a decrease in the average number of prescriptions written per year from 157 to 148 and per beneficiary from 2.1 to 1.8 from 2013 to 2016, respectively. The most commonly prescribed opioids were hydrocodone/acetaminophen (47.1% of all opioids prescribed) and oxycodone/acetaminophen (17.5%). The total number of opioid prescriptions decreased by 372,045, and nonopioid pain medications increased by 269,917 between 2013 and 2016. Orthopaedic surgeons were more likely to have a high total opioid prescription count if they were male, lived in the south, and had an osteopathic degree (P < 0.001 for all). Discussion: Orthopaedic surgeons prescribe an estimated 7.7% of all US opioid prescriptions; however, in recent years, there has been a decrease in the number of prescriptions written per surgeon, per beneficiary, total opioid prescriptions, and an increase in total nonopioid prescriptions. These changes may reflect an increase in public awareness of the opioid epidemic and subtle changes in physician behavior. Differences in opioid prescription volume by sex, professional degree, and region also illustrate a lack of consensus on opioid prescription guidelines in orthopaedic surgery.