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Performance decreases in some professional hockey players after sports hernia repair
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Professional hockey players with six seasons or fewer of play in the National Hockey League were more likely than veteran players to return to preinjury activity levels after athletic pubalgia treatment, according to this study.
“Players who undergo sports hernia surgeries return to play and often perform similar to their presurgery level,” Andre Jakoi, MD, and colleagues stated in the abstract. “Players with over [seven] full seasons return[ed] but with significant decreases in their overall performance levels. Less veteran players were able to return to play without any statistical decrease in performance and are likely the best candidates for repair once incurring injury.”
Jakoi and colleagues divided 43 professional hockey players treated for pubalgia into three groups: Group A encompassed all players, group B consisted of players with six seasons or less of play and group C was comprised of players with seven or more seasons. These players’ statistics were matched to a group of control players, according to the abstract.
The investigators found 80% of players returned to preinjury levels of activity and played two or more seasons, but compared to controls the athletes studied played significantly fewer games, scored significantly fewer goals and had significantly fewer assists.
Group C players showed statistically significant decreases in all parameters in the two seasons after hernia repair, while players in group B showed statistically significant decreases only in games played.
Disclosure: The authors have no relevant financial disclosures.
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