Sports After Surgery
Sports and injuries go hand in hand. Hence, post-operative care of athletes is very important. Athletes tend to often follow doctor’s orders faithfully in order to make a quick comeback to sports. In such a scenario, it’s normal for the surgeon to feel pressurized from the athletes.
Injuries are of various types. Sports injury of the cervical spine requires high post operative care. Returning soon to the sport could increase the chances of subsequent injury on the field. There have been many cases in the past where a serious injury has spoilt a sportsperson career.
For instance, athletes who have undergone the C1–2 fusion have been permanently restricted from participating in sports. Surgery of the sub-axial spine may require individual consideration. In case of a posterior cervical foraminotomies, return to sports is possible as it does not weaken the spine completely. But athletes who require more than a two-level laminectomy cannot return to full contact sports.
If the athlete has suffered a hip or a knee replacement injury, then it is possible for him/her to make a comeback in golf, swimming, cycling, and sailing. Cross-country skiing is recommended after knee replacement but not hip replacement. A range of energetic and contact sports including karate, soccer, and water-skiing are not recommended at all after succumbing to such serious injuries.
Hip resurfacing arthroplasty (HRA) of the injured area allows the sportsperson to return to sports after six months. HRA is a less invasive procedure than total hip replacement, where the cartilage surface of the hip is removed and the ball and the socket is reshaped to preserve the surrounding bony structures of the hip.
It’s easier for athletes to return to low-impact sports like golf, tennis (doubles), and bowling after a knee surgery. High impact sports like running, tennis, basketball, volleyball and football should be avoided as these lead to wear and tear of the prosthesis. Football or hockey players return six weeks aftre the surgery to their game.
Athletes, who undergo unicompartmental knee replacement and a high ankle sprain, return safely to low-impact sports within three to six months’ time. All it requires is a splint for one week, after which rehabilitation exercises begin.
The livelihood of professional athletes whose careers are entirely based on their ability to play, play a big role in disregarding clinical advice. When athletes choose to make a comeback, their progress should be tracked closely. Consistent counseling on the importance of the proper usage of safety equipments is very important. The decision to return to sports is one which the athlete must make along with the guidance of the surgeon/physical therapist.