CC2022: Rehabilitation and Return to Sport Criteria Following Ulnar Collateral Ligament Reconstruction: A Systematic Review (September 2022)-Rehabilitation and Return to Sport Criteria Following Ulnar Collateral Ligament Reconstruction: A Systematic Review (September 2022)

Rehabilitation and Return to Sport Criteria Following Ulnar Collateral Ligament Reconstruction: A Systematic Review (September 2022)

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Pdf Summary

Ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction (UCLR) is a common surgical procedure for athletes with UCL insufficiency, particularly in overhead throwing sports. However, there is still no consensus on the optimal rehabilitation protocol and timing for return to sport (RTS) after UCLR. A systematic review of 33 studies involving 3480 athletes from 21 different sports was conducted to analyze the rehabilitation parameters and RTS criteria reported in the literature. <br /><br />The review found that 93.9% of the studies utilized bracing with progressive range of motion, 84.8% emphasized strengthening, and 81.8% included participation in an interval throwing program as key rehabilitation parameters after UCLR. However, there was significant variability in the timing for RTS, ranging from 6.5 to 16 months. Most studies (96.97%) reported timing after surgery as a criterion for RTS, but there was no consensus on the recommended time for return to activity. Only 3 studies included conditional criteria for RTS, such as absence of pain and restoration of upper extremity strength and throwing coordination. None of the studies completely defined RTS criteria after UCLR.<br /><br />The findings suggest a lack of standardized rehabilitation protocols and objective criteria for RTS after UCLR. While most studies use time-based criteria for RTS, there is a need for the development of a comprehensive checklist of functional and performance-based criteria for safe RTS after UCLR. Future research should focus on defining these criteria and evaluating their effectiveness in guiding the rehabilitation and RTS process for athletes undergoing UCLR.

Keywords

Ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction

UCLR

rehabilitation protocol

return to sport

RTS

overhead throwing sports

bracing

progressive range of motion

strengthening

interval throwing program