Eight-Week Return to Play Following Latarjet Shoulder Reconstruction in an Australian Football Player: A Case Report.

INTRODUCTION: Anterior shoulder dislocation is a common injury in many sports, resulting in extended time lost from play with an extremely high recurrence rate in young athletes playing a high-risk sport. Latarjet shoulder reconstruction is a common surgical procedure used to prevent subsequent dislocation with an expected rehabilitation time frame of between 4 and 6 months before return to play. CASE DESCRIPTION: A 21-year-old male Australian football player experienced 2 left-sided shoulder dislocations before undergoing a left Latarjet shoulder reconstruction. He was assessed clinically and with magnetic resonance imaging, which revealed significant tearing of the anterior labrum. The authors theorized that maximal glenohumeral stability occurs after bony healing of the coracoid onto the glenoid at 6 weeks. The patient then underwent an 8-week structured and graduated rehabilitation program aimed at preventing loss of shoulder range of motion, muscle, and functional capacity and returned to play at 8 weeks postinjury with no complications or recurrence at 12-month follow-up. DISCUSSION: This is the first time an 8-week rehabilitation following Latarjet shoulder reconstruction has been reported. In athletes with anterior glenohumeral dislocation who require accelerated return to play, a Latarjet reconstruction with an 8-week rehabilitation protocol may be considered.

Pediatric Lateral Patellar Retinacular Sleeve Avulsion.

A 10-year-old girl presented to the physical therapist with acute left knee pain, after sprinting that morning. She reported a pop and lateral knee pain, which caused her to stop her run. The physical therapist referred the patient for radiographs that day, which showed a possible lateral patellar avulsion. Magnetic resonance imaging was performed the following day, given the poor accuracy of radiographs in patellar avulsions, which confirmed a lateral patellar retinacular sleeve avulsion. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2017;47(10):815. doi:10.2519/jospt.2017.6616.