title: Return to play after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction in major league baseball athletes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of the study was to (1) investigate the rate of return to play among Major League Baseball (MLB) athletes after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR), (2) determine the impact of ACL injury on ability to perform baseball-specific planting and pivoting tasks (batting and stealing bases), and (3) to explore the effect of the injured side on these metrics.
  
  
  METHODS
  ACL injury data from 1999 to 2012 were compiled, along with player performance statistics recorded for players with at least 30 games before ACL injury. Predictor variables included side of injury and outcome variables focused on batting average, stolen bases, and number of times caught stealing before injury and after surgery.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-three of 26 (88%) players were able to return to at least 30 games after ACLR, although they experienced a decline of 21.2% in number of games played (P = .004). Those who had a ACLR for a rear batting leg injury averaged a 12.3% decline in batting average, whereas those who had ACLR for a lead leg injury had a 6.4% increase in batting average (P = .04). Side of injury was not predictive of stolen base metrics.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The overall rate of return to play among MLB position players after ACLR was 88%, although there was a 21.2% decline in the number of games played postoperatively. Injury to the rear batting leg resulted in a lower returning batting average compared with an injury to the lead batting leg. Side of injury had no effect on stolen bases or on the number of times a player was caught stealing.
  
  
  METHODS
  Level IV, therapeutic case series.
authors: Sports Medicine and Shoulder Service, Hospital for Special Surgery, New York, New York, U.S.A.. Electronic address: fabricantp@hss.edu.
authors: Peter D
authors: PD
authors: Fabricant
authors: Sports Medicine and Shoulder Service, Hospital for Special Surgery, New York, New York, U.S.A.
authors: Christopher S
authors: CS
authors: Chin
authors: Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Club, Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.
authors: Stan
authors: S
authors: Conte
authors: Sports Medicine and Shoulder Service, Hospital for Special Surgery, New York, New York, U.S.A.
authors: Struan H
authors: SH
authors: Coleman
authors: Sports Medicine and Shoulder Service, Hospital for Special Surgery, New York, New York, U.S.A.
authors: Andrew D
authors: AD
authors: Pearle
authors: Sports Medicine and Shoulder Service, Hospital for Special Surgery, New York, New York, U.S.A.
authors: Joshua S
authors: JS
authors: Dines
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016118:Anterior Cruciate Ligament / Q000601:surgery*; D000070598:Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries; D059549:Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction; D056352:Athletes; D054874:Athletic Performance; D001484:Baseball / Q000293:injuries*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D000068958:Return to Sport