Effect of surgical timing on return to sports activity after significant knee injuries.

Abstract

When an athlete presents with an injury to the knee, one of the most frequently asked questions is, 'When will I be back to sports?' The answer de­ pends on multiple factors including the nature of the injury, degree of injury, specific demands of the particular sport, level of participation of the ath­ lete, and the timing of the injury relative to the season of the particular sport. With injuries that require surgical intervention, this question can be difficult to answer, since complications and indi­ vidual differences in rehabilitation occur. The quick­ est way to safely return an injured athlete to play is to: accurately diagnose the problem; surgically treat those injuries that require surgery in a timely fashion; schedule the surgical intervention to al­ low for minimal time lost from training; and ag­ gressively utilise physical therapy before and after surgery. The most frequent injuries in athletes' knees in­ volve the ligaments and menisci. Serious ligament injuries produce the greatest and longest athletic disability. A prompt accurate diagnosis allows treatment to begin as soon as possible. 1. Ligament Injuries of the Knee