Age linked with career length for professional hockey players following hip arthroscopy for FAI

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Patient age at the time of surgery was the only predictor of career length among professional hockey players who underwent hip arthroscopy to treat femoroacetabular impingement, according to results presented here.

Researchers evaluated 70 professional hockey players with an average age of 27 years who underwent hip arthroscopy to treat femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) between 2005 and 2010. Player data, such as position played, draft position, perioperative age and length of professional career, and surgical details were analyzed. The average length of a professional career was determined by the researchers to be 13 years as of the 2015 to 2016 hockey season.

Overall, 40 patients (57%) played professionally for a minimum of 5 years and played for an average of 6.9 years following hip arthroscopy. Patients who played a minimum of 5 years professionally were significantly younger (average age of 25 years) than those who did not (average age of 30 years). Career length and postoperative years played were linked with age at the time of operation, according to results of a multiple regression analysis.

Travis James Menge

Labral repair was necessary in 65 patients (93%), and labral reconstruction was required in five patients (7%). Of the 10 patients who required microfracture of the acetabulum for chondral damage, they tended to be older (average age of 31 years) and had longer professional careers (average 17 years) than those who did not need microfracture (average age of 26 years, with an average career length of 13 years). Whether a patient underwent microfracture had no significant impact on postoperative years played. The career length of goaltenders did not significantly differ from other players.

“While the results demonstrate younger age correlates with greater career length, this could be related to other nonsurgical factors,” Travis James Menge, MD, said in his presentation. – by Christian Ingram

Reference:

Menge TJ, et al. Paper #123. Presented at: American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine Annual Meeting; July 7-10, 2016; Colorado Springs, Colo.

Disclosure: Menge reports no relevant financial disclosures.