Return to Sport for Professional and Subelite Ice Hockey Players After Arthroscopic Surgery for Femoroacetabular Impingement Syndrome

Abstract

Background: Femoroacetabular impingement syndrome (FAIS) is a common cause of hip pain, which can prevent ice hockey players from sports participation. Hip arthroscopy is often performed to relieve pain and enable the player to return to sport (RTS) and return to performance (RTP). Purpose: To determine the RTS and RTP rates for ice hockey players at the professional and subelite levels after hip arthroscopy for FAIS. Study Design: Case series; Level of evidence, 4. Methods: High-level ice hockey players who underwent hip arthroscopy for FAIS between 2011 and 2019 were identified using a local hip arthroscopy registry. The player’s level was confirmed with ice hockey–specific web pages and was stratified as subelite or professional. Data on the players’ careers were extracted from these web pages. Player position was divided into goalkeepers, defensemen, and forwards. Data on participation in games included the season before onset of symptoms, the season before surgery, and the first and second seasons after surgery. RTS was defined as returning to ice hockey after surgery, and RTP was considered as returning to the same league at a comparable level to before symptoms. Results: A total of 80 ice hockey players were included. Comparing presymptom performance with the first season after surgery, the RTS rate was 72%, of which 94% of the players returned to the same or higher level of play. Comparing the presurgery season with the first season after surgery, the RTS rate was 78%. At the second season after surgery, 64% of players still played ice hockey, with a significantly higher return rate among professional players compared with subelite players (96% vs 69%; P = .014). Overall, 85% goalkeepers, 74% forwards, and 60% defensemen returned to sport. Only 28% played at least the same number of games during the first season after surgery as they did during the presymptom season. Conclusion: High-level ice hockey players who underwent hip arthroscopy for FAIS had a high RTS rate, in which the majority returned to the same league. However, only 28% played the same number of games the first season after surgery as they did at the presymptom level. Professional ice hockey players returned more frequently than players on the subelite level.

High-level soccer players have a low rate of return to performance after hip arthroscopy for femoroacetabular impingement syndrome

“…Since there, in team sports, might be a natural variation in the number of games played during one season, regardless of injury or not, a lower level than 100% was set for the definition of RTP. The variation was calculated from the variation in games played in a random set of players, without known medical history, from the highest league in Sweden the seasons of 2020 and 2021, a method previously described when evaluating RTS and RTP in ice hockey players [ 15 ]. In this current study it was found there could be a variation of 20% in games played between seasons, therefore, the limit for RTP was set at 80%.…”

Noninterportal capsulotomy of hip arthroscopy showed improved outcomes in borderline hip dysplasia: A retrospective study with minimum 2‐year follow‐up

“…Periacetabular osteotomy, the standard treatment for hip dysplasia, which reorients the acetabular osseous coverage for good short-and longterm outcomes [8], is not applicable for BHD, given the invasiveness of the procedure and the associated risk of complications [42]. In recent decades, hip arthroscopy has been an effective treatment option with good outcomes for many hip pathologies [26]; however, its applicability for hip dysplasia is still in dispute due to its reported failure rate and the potential of exacerbating the instability, subsequently resulting in osteoarthritis [29,36]. Recently, with a better understanding of preoperative predictors and capsule management, surgeons have achieved significantly improved clinical outcomes for a select group of patients with BHD who have undergone hip arthroscopy [1,14,25].…”

Associations Between Hip Pathology, Hip and Groin Pain, and Injuries in Hockey Athletes: A Clinical Commentary

“…5,6 Nonetheless, on-going hip and groin pain can have debilitating long-term effects, such as increased depen-dency on medication, higher surgical intervention rates, and potentially early retirement. [7][8][9] While hockey athletes can still participate in training and competition, their performance capacity is likely to be reduced. 1,3 This diminished performance capacity can negatively impact their ability to showcase their skills to coaches and scouts, which may limit playing time and reduce their chances of being selected for higher competitive levels.…”