title: Return to sport after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction in professional soccer players.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To investigate time to return to sport and rate of professional sport activity in a homogenous group of competitive soccer players 4 years after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction and rehabilitation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-one male professional soccer players (mean age 22.9±5.4 years) underwent non-anatomical double-bundle autologous hamstring ACL reconstruction and followed the same rehabilitative protocol. Clinical evaluation was performed preoperatively and at 3, 6 and 12-month follow-up. Data regarding return to train and official match, sport activity, complications and revision surgeries were collected at 4-year follow-up.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Laxity test (KT-2000) and total KOOS mean score resulted in a significant improvement from the preoperative status to the 12-month follow-up (p<0.0001). The KOOS mean value showed a significant progressive improvement from the preoperative status to 6-month follow-up (p=0.0010) as well, while values collected at 6 and 12-month follow-up were comparable (p=0.2349). Returned to official matches 186±53 days after surgery. After 12 months, 95% came back to the same activity level performed before injury. Four years after ACL reconstruction, 15 patients (71%) were still playing competitive soccer. One patient (5%) underwent ACL failure and subsequent revision.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The ACL reconstruction with the presented technique followed by patient-tailored rehabilitation, allowed 95% and 62% professional male soccer players to return to the same sport activity 1 year and 4 years after surgery respectively. However, 71% were still able to play competitive soccer at final follow-up. Clinical scores were restored after 6 months.
  
  
  METHODS
  IV, case series.
authors.affiliation: II Clinica Ortopedica e Laboratorio di Biomeccanica ed Innovazione Tecnologica, Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zaffagnini
authors.affiliation: II Clinica Ortopedica e Laboratorio di Biomeccanica ed Innovazione Tecnologica, Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Grassi
authors.affiliation: II Clinica Ortopedica e Laboratorio di Biomeccanica ed Innovazione Tecnologica, Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, Bologna, Italy. Electronic address: marcheggianimuccioli@me.com.
authors.forename: G M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Marcheggiani Muccioli
authors.affiliation: Isokinetic FIFA Medical Centre of Excellence, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tsapralis
authors.affiliation: Isokinetic FIFA Medical Centre of Excellence, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ricci
authors.affiliation: II Clinica Ortopedica e Laboratorio di Biomeccanica ed Innovazione Tecnologica, Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bragonzoni
authors.affiliation: Isokinetic FIFA Medical Centre of Excellence, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Della Villa
authors.affiliation: II Clinica Ortopedica e Laboratorio di Biomeccanica ed Innovazione Tecnologica, Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Marcacci
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016118:Anterior Cruciate Ligament / Q000601:surgery*; D000070598:Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries; D059549:Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction / Q000379:methods / Q000534:rehabilitation; D001182:Arthroscopy; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012086:Reoperation; D062707:Return to Work; D012916:Soccer / Q000293:injuries*; D013710:Tendons / Q000637:transplantation; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Anterior cruciate ligament; Arthroscopy; Double-bundle; Professional soccer players