title: Return to Play After Cervical Disc Surgery.
abstract: Criteria for return to sports and athletic activities after cervical spine surgery are unclear. There is limited literature regarding the outcomes and optimal criteria. Determining return to play criteria remains a challenge and continues to depend on the experience and good judgment of the treating surgeon. There is strong consensus in the literature, despite lack of evidence-based data, that athletes after single-level anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) may safely return to collision and high-velocity sports. The athlete should be counseled and managed on a case-by-case basis, taking into consideration the type of sport, player-specific variables, and type of surgery performed.
authors.affiliation: Orthopedic Surgery Service, Department of Surgery, Madigan Army Medical Center, 9040 Jackson Avenue, Tacoma, WA 98431, USA.
authors.forename: Daniel G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.affiliation: Orthopedic Surgery Service, Department of Surgery, Madigan Army Medical Center, 9040 Jackson Avenue, Tacoma, WA 98431, USA.
authors.forename: Justin C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Columbia University Medical Center, The Spine Hospital - New York Presbyterian/The Allen Hospital, 5141 Broadway, 3 Field West, New York, NY 10034, USA. Electronic address: ronaldalehman@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Ronald A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Lehman
mesh_terms: D001265:Athletic Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery*; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae; D006801:Humans; D007403:Intervertebral Disc / Q000293:injuries*; D000068958:Return to Sport; D018570:Risk Assessment; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery; D055009:Spondylosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery
keywords: Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion; Cervical disc herniation; Cervical disc surgery; Cervical spondylosis; Return to play; Spinal cord contusion; Spinal cord injury; Spinal stenosis