Professional athletes can return-to-sport after anterior cervical discectomy and fusion surgery

Researchers from the University of Pittsburgh found all professional athletes in football and wrestling who underwent anterior cervical discectomy and fusion surgery in this study were cleared to return-to-sport after an average of 6 months.

“After a single-level [anterior cervical discectomy and fusion] ACDF, an athlete may return to contact sports if there are normal findings on a neurological examination, full range of neck movement, and arthrodesis,” Joseph C. Maroon, MD, from the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center in Pittsburgh, stated in a press release.

Maroon and colleagues examined ACDF results from eight patients with cervical radiculopathy, seven patients with neurapraxia, and two patients with spinal cord hypersensitivity, according to the abstract. They noted 14 patients had cervical stenosis with effacement of the cerebrospinal fluid signal.

After ACDF surgery and a neurological examination, 13 of 15 athletes chose to return-to-sport between 2 months and 12 months after surgery. Eight athletes are currently participating in sport, according to the abstract. The researchers found no signs of radiculopathy or myelopathy in any patients. The professional career of the five athletes who retired ranged between 1 year and 3 years.

Reference:

Maroon JC. Neurosurgery. 2013;doi:10.1227/01.neu.0000429843.68836.91.

Disclosure: The authors have no relevant financial disclosures.