For NFL players, the return-to-sport rate and the postoperative performance level can be a real game changer.
80% of Post FAI Surgery NFL Players Return to Play
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Secondary#hiparthroscopy#returntosportrate#femoroacetabular
Kyle R. Sochacki, M.D., an orthopedic surgeon at Houston Methodist Orthopedic & Sports Medicine in Houston, Texas, and colleagues investigated return to sport rates in particular after hip arthroscopy for femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) in their study, “Performance and Return to Sport After Femoroacetabular Impingement Surgery in National Football League Players” published online April 9, 2019 in Orthopedics.
During the study, Sochacki and colleagues looked at return-to-sport rate, postoperative career length and games per season, pre-and postoperative performance and postoperative performance compared with control players.
In total, 55 NFL players (63 surgeries) were included in the study (mean age, 27.5±3.4 years; mean years in NFL at time of surgery, 4.7±2.9). According to the data collected, 47 (84.1%) of the NFL players in the study returned to sport at a mean of 6.7±3.8 months after surgery. The researchers found no significant difference between either average games played per season (12.1±4.0 vs. 12.5±3.1; p > .007) or career length (3.5±2.1 years vs. 3.7 ± 2.2 years) when compared to the control players.
Interestingly, quarterbacks had better performance scores after surgery than the controls (p = .007).
Shane Nho, M.D., an orthopedic surgeon at Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush in Chicago, Illinois, oversaw the study and told OTW, “Hip pain from labral tears and femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) is a common injury in the NFL.”
“The study by Sochacki and colleagues shows that approximately 80% of professional football players that underwent surgery for FAI were able to return playing in NFL. Most football players took about 6 months to get back to play and there was no difference in career length and games player per season when compared to a group of NFL players without FAI.”
“In summary, FAI is common hip injury in the NFL but with modern, hip arthroscopy treatment about 80% of players are able to return to NFL without any effect on games played or career length.”
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This is a fascinating development. In my practice we've seen similar outcomes with the revised protocol. The key differentiator seems to be patient selection criteria. Has anyone else noticed the correlation with BMI thresholds?
Great point. I'd push back slightly on the conclusion, the sample size in the cited study is too small to draw population-level inferences. That said, the directional signal is compelling and worth a larger RCT.
We implemented a similar approach last year. Early results are promising but we're still gathering 12-month follow-up data. Happy to share our protocol if anyone is interested.
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