A Narrative Review of Contact Sports Participation in Children and Young Athletes With a Solitary (Functioning) Kidney

Abstract

Background: Evidence is sparse regarding the incidence or prevalence of renal or genitourinary injuries arising from contact sports. There are currently no World Health Organization or European consensus guidelines relating to the participation in sport for children and young athletes with a solitary (functioning) kidney. Purpose: To review the international literature and to make sport-specific recommendations for children and young athletes with a solitary (functioning) kidney participating in sports, based on the overall likelihood of potential renal or genitourinary injury. Study Design: Narrative review; Level of evidence, 4. Methods: A descriptive epidemiological study was conducted of current literature according to the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) guidelines. Embase, Google Scholar, Cochrane, and PubMed databases were queried from 1975 to 2023, to assess available evidence regarding the prevalence and risk of renal injury through sports participation and guidelines surrounding the participation in sports for children and young athletes with a solitary (functioning) kidney. Methodological quality and certainty of evidence were assessed according to the International Classification of Urological Disease guidelines. Results: A total of 28 publications were identified after database searches and exclusions, comprising 40,889 patients. The majority of papers providing recommendations arose from the United States. Of the recommendations, 79% permitted an unrestricted return to noncontact sports. A return to contact sports is permitted in most instances after physician consultation. Conclusion: There is a dearth of good-quality published evidence in the literature relating to sports participation with a solitary (functioning) kidney. Overall, the risk of genitourinary injury in sports is low, and after physician assessment, there is currently no strong evidence to exclude children and young athletes with a solitary (functioning) kidney from full participation in contact and collision sports.