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Development of a return to play checklist following patellar instability surgery: a Delphi-based consensus

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Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy Aims and scope

Abstract

Purpose

To date, there is no consensus for the appropriate timing or functional evaluation for safe return to play following patellar instability surgery. The purpose of this study is to develop a consensus-based return to play checklist following patellar stabilization surgery using the Delphi method.

Methods

A 3-part survey series was conducted following the systematic guidelines of the Delphi technique for gathering consensus from experts in the management of patellofemoral instability. All surveys were completed between July and November of 2017. A literature search was performed in SCOPUS and PubMed to identify existing sources on return to play following patellar instability surgery and determining patellofemoral joint strength in athletes, which served as the basis for the surveys.

Results

12 of the 19 selected participants (63%) completed the first-round survey, 11 of those 12 participants (92%) completed the second-round survey, and 10 of these 11 participants (91%) completed the final survey. Of the final ten participants, there was representation from seven different states in the USA. Nine of the ten (90%) respondents endorsed the final checklist. The final checklist included eight overarching domains with defined and reproducible objective criteria.

Conclusion

The standardized list of objective and reproducible criteria for rehabilitation outlined below should help practitioners focus more on patient-centred factors and less on arbitrary timelines. No prior study has gathered consensus from experts on this topic; therefore, this study should serve as a benchmark to help guide patients back to sport safely.

Level of evidence

V.

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Funding

Funding was not acquired for this study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University, 1025 Walnut St #100, Philadelphia, PA, 19107, USA

    Alex E. White & Rishi Chatterji

  2. Rothman Institute, 925 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19107, USA

    Saif U. Zaman, Christopher J. Hadley, Steven B. Cohen, Kevin B. Freedman & Christopher C. Dodson

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  1. Alex E. White
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  2. Rishi Chatterji
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  3. Saif U. Zaman
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  4. Christopher J. Hadley
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  7. Christopher C. Dodson
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Correspondence to Christopher C. Dodson.

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White, A.E., Chatterji, R., Zaman, S.U. et al. Development of a return to play checklist following patellar instability surgery: a Delphi-based consensus. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc 28, 806–815 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00167-019-05510-6

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