Medial Collateral Ligament Injuries Identified at the National Football League Scouting Combine: Assessment of Epidemiological Characteristics, Imaging Findings, and Initial Career Performance

Return to Play in the Professional Athlete

The management of any injury in elite athletes poses unique challenges distinct from the general population because the goal is rapid recovery and return to play (RTP) while simultaneously managing residual symptoms and minimizing risk of reinjury. The time required for treatment, recovery, and return to peak performance can have consequences for both the athlete and his or her team: financial implications, psychological stressors, team dynamics, and future performance. RTP after an injury in the professional athlete requires a complex decision-making process with many stakeholders. Several factors influence this decision, not the least of which is the type and mechanism of injury. This article provides an overview of the RTP process including nonmedical factors that may influence this decision, common injuries seen in professional athletes, injury patterns particular to certain popular sports, and imaging guidelines for such injuries.

Atelocollagen Injections Improve Outcomes in the Nonsurgical Treatment of Grade III Medial Collateral Ligament Injuries

Background

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical outcomes of atelocollagen injections in isolated grade III medial collateral ligament (MCL) injuries of the knee joint.

Methods

A total of 50 participants were included in this retrospective study. Twenty-six patients underwent conservative treatment with a single atelocollagen injection, while the remaining patients underwent only typical conservative treatment. All participants underwent magnetic resonance imaging to identify and grade MCL injury. Valgus stress radiography was performed on both knees at 6 and 12 months after the injury. The visual analog scale (VAS) score was collected at the first visit and at 2 weeks, 6 weeks, 6 months, and 12 months after injury. The International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) formula activity level and Lysholm score were evaluated for patient-reported outcomes at the first visit and at 6 and 12 months after injury. The participant's return to the pre-injury activity level ratio was measured by comparing the IKDC formula activity level at 12 months after the injury with that before the injury.

Results

The VAS and Lysholm scores improved over time in both groups. The VAS and Lysholm scores were significantly better in the collagen injection group than in the control group. Regarding the activity level, the collagen injection group showed significantly better results at the 6-month follow-up, but there was no significant difference at the 12-month follow-up. The medial gap in the injured knee and the side-to-side difference (SSD) in both groups gradually decreased over time. The SSD in the collagen injection group was significantly smaller than that in the control group.

Conclusions

Atelocollagen injections resulted in better clinical and radiologic outcomes along with a higher rate of return to the pre-injury activity level, thereby exhibiting a positive effect in the nonsurgical treatment of grade III MCL injuries.

Conservative Approach to Treating American Football Players With Medial Collateral Ligament Grade 2 Sprain During the Season

CONTEXT

The medial collateral ligament is the most commonly injured ligament in the knee. The high-speed pivoting and agility movements that are common in the sport of American Football put participants at an increased risk for a valgus force stress from contact or noncontact injuries. Positional release therapy (PRT) also considered strain/counterstrain focuses on releasing the tension in a tissue through unloading the involved body part.

CASE PRESENTATION

Two male student-athletes participating in football with a mean age of 20.5 years were diagnosed by a physician with medial collateral ligament grade 2 sprain. Both patients sustained their injuries in a regular season game with a contact valgus force from an opposing player.

MANAGEMENT AND OUTCOMES

After the initial 72 hours of compression, elevation, and cryotherapy, the patients were both treated with PRT followed by progressive loading exercises. Following 4 treatment sessions of PRT over the next 6 days, the patients started with quadriceps engagement exercises, single-leg squats to 60° knee flexion, side steps, triceps dips, slow controlled lunges, and toe walk. The patients progressed to full body weight squats, single-leg landing, step-up tri-extension, and sidekicks with a leg on table. Then, the patients completed function movements and sports-specific exercises.

CONCLUSIONS

In this case series, 2 patients competing in intercollege American Football were treated with PRT and progressive loading exercises to facilitate return to unrestricted activities and improve outcome measures. Commonly, a grade 2 medial collateral ligament sprain is conservatively treated with return to sport taking 20 days on average. In this type 2 case series, the clinician found success utilizing PRT early in the recovery process, which in these 2 cases lead to restoration of function, outcome measure improvement, and an expedited return to sport. The expedited return to sport occurred at an average of 18 days for these patients.

Surgical Repair of Stener-like Injuries of the Medial Collateral Ligament of the Knee in Professional Athletes

BACKGROUND

A "Stener-like" lesion of the knee is defined as a distal avulsion of the superficial medial collateral ligament (sMCL) with interposition of the pes anserinus between the ligament and its tibial insertion-a displacement impeding anatomic healing. Because of the scarcity of these injuries, the literature is limited to case reports and small case series.

PURPOSE

To assess the effect of surgical repair of acute Stener-like lesions of the sMCL on the following outcomes: return to preinjury level of sporting function; time to return to preinjury level of sporting function; functional performance; injury recurrence; and any other complications.

STUDY DESIGN

Case series: Level of evidence, 4.

METHODS

This prospective single-surgeon study included 23 elite athletes with a mean age of 27.2 years (range, 19-37 years). Of the participants, 20 were men (87%) and 3 were women (13%). The mean body mass index was 23.1 ± 2.3. A total of 16 athletes were soccer players (70%) and 7 were rugby players (30%), with isolated acute, traumatic Stener-like lesions of the sMCL of the knee confirmed on preoperative magnetic resonance imaging. Surgical repair was undertaken with primary suture anchor repair with ligament repair or reconstruction system (LARS) augmentation. Predefined outcomes were recorded at regular intervals after surgery. The minimum follow-up time was 24 months (range, 24-108 months) from the date of surgery.

RESULTS

The mean time from injury to surgical intervention was 9 days (range, 3-28 days). Overall, 15 (65%) athletes had isolated distal sMCL injuries requiring anatomic suture anchor repair at the distal tibial insertion site only, and 8 (35%) athletes had concomitant injuries of the proximal and distal sMCL and required anatomic suture anchor repair at the proximal and distal attachment sites. Ten athletes required LARS augmentation at the time of the index operation. All study patients returned to their preinjury level of sporting activity in professional soccer or rugby. The mean time from surgical intervention to return to full sporting activity was 16.8 ± 2.7 weeks. At 6 and 24 months' follow-up, all patients had Tegner scores of 10. At a 2-year follow-up, all study patients were still participating at their preinjury level of sporting activity. Three patients developed complications around the LARS that required further surgery to remove synthetic material; however, this did not affect function.

CONCLUSION

Surgical repair of acute Stener-like lesions of the sMCL is associated with a high return to preinjury level of sporting function, excellent functional performance, and a low risk of recurrence at short-term follow-up in elite athletes.

Current concepts on management of medial and posteromedial knee injuries

Traditionally, while managing ligament injuries around the knee, medial side injuries are frequently overlooked or considered 'benign' with very little influence on overall knee stability outcomes. However, much has changed in the recent past, and like the lateral side of the knee, it is gaining considerable attention. It is now well known that the Medial collateral ligament and Posteromedial corner are fundamentally two distinct structures that differ in anatomy and biomechanics. When it comes to decision making between conservative versus operative approach for medial side injuries, treating orthopaedic surgeons are subjected to walking on a thin line trying to balance between potential residual laxity and joint stiffness. This review will delve into some of the recent works focusing on the medial side injuries and discuss the evolving concepts.

Analysis of surgery rates among 25 national collegiate athletic association sports

OBJECTIVES

While injuries among collegiate athletes are common and well-studied, there have been no studies comparing which sports and injury types have the highest operation rates. This information would be valuable for athlete governing bodies and providers to improve player safety. Our hypothesis was the surgery incidence rates vary substantially between sports and injury types, with football and knee injuries representing the sport and injury type with the highest respective surgery rates.

METHODS

This was a descriptive epidemiology study of all injuries requiring surgery as recorded in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Injury Surveillance Program (ISP) for academic years 2004-2005 to 2013-2014. Surgery incidence rates (and 95% confidence intervals, CI) were calculated for each sport (per 10,000 athletic exposures [AE]) and for the most common injury types, by academic year. In addition, absolute numbers of performed surgeries were calculated as well as rates of return to sport.

RESULTS

Sports with the highest surgery incidence rate (per 10,000 AEs) were women's gymnastics (8.9; 95% CI 7.2-10.9), men's football (6.1; 95% CI 5.8-6.4), and men's wrestling (5.3; 95% CI 4.5-6.3). Absolute numbers of injury-related surgeries performed were greatest for men's football (n = 31,043), women's basketball (6,625), and men's basketball (5,717). Anterior cruciate ligament tears had the greatest surgery incidence rate per 100,000 AEs for all sports combined (7.95; 95% CI = 7.5 to 8.5), and also represented the injuries with the lowest rate of return to sport.

CONCLUSION

Women's gymnastics, men's football, and men's and women's basketball are NCAA sports with an elevated risk of injury requiring of surgery. The results from this study can guide the NCAA and providers regarding which sports should be the focus of future research, new injury prevention strategies, and healthcare personnel allocation during events.

Return-to-Play Times and Player Performance After Medial Collateral Ligament Injury in Elite-Level European Soccer Players

Background:

Participation in elite-level soccer predisposes athletes to injuries of the medial collateral ligament (MCL), resulting in variable durations of time lost from sport.

Purpose:

To (1) determine the rate of return to play (RTP) and timing after MCL injuries, (2) investigate MCL reinjury incidence after RTP, and (3) evaluate the long-term effects of MCL injury on future performance.

Study Design:

Descriptive epidemiology study.

Methods:

Using publicly available records, we identified athletes who had sustained MCL injury between 2000 and 2016 across the 5 major European soccer leagues (English Premier League, Bundesliga, La Liga, Ligue 1, and Serie A). Injured athletes were matched to controls using demographic characteristics and performance metrics from the season before injury. We recorded injury severity, RTP rate, reinjury incidence, player characteristics associated with RTP within 2 seasons of injury, player availability, field time, and performance metrics during the 4 seasons after injury.

Results:

A total of 59 athletes sustained 61 MCL injuries, with 86% (51/59) of injuries classified as moderate to severe and surgical intervention performed in 14% (8/59) of athletes. After injury, athletes missed a median of 33 days (range, 3-259 days) and 4 games (range, 1-30 games). Overall, 71% (42/59) of athletes returned successfully at the same level, with multivariable regression demonstrating no athlete characteristic predictive of RTP. MCL reinjury was reported in 3% (2/59) of athletes. Midfielders demonstrated decreased field time after RTP when compared with controls (P < .05). No significant differences in player performance for any position were identified out to 4 seasons after injury. Injured athletes had a significantly higher rate of long-term retention (P < .001).

Conclusion:

MCL injuries resulted in a median loss of 33 days in elite European soccer athletes, with the majority of injuries treated nonoperatively. RTP remained high, and few athletes experienced reinjury. While midfielders demonstrated a significant decrease in field time after RTP, player performance and long-term retention were not compromised. Future studies are warranted to better understand athlete-specific and external variables predictive of MCL injury and reinjury, while evaluating treatment and rehabilitation protocols to minimize time lost and to optimize athlete safety and health.

MRI findings of Stener-like lesion of the knee: A case series with surgical correlation

PURPOSE

To describe the MRI findings of the "Stener-like" lesion of the knee and its distinction from simple medial collateral ligament (MCL) tear. A "Stener-like" lesion of the superficial medial collateral ligament is a tear involving the distal fibers, where the torn fibers become displaced superficial to the pes anserinus fibers, a displacement which can prevent healing.

METHODS

Nine cases of Stener-like lesion were prospectively diagnosed on MRI. Retrospective, IRB-approved, HIPAA-compliant chart review was performed to determine correlation of surgical and MRI findings. Seven cases were surgically confirmed and are included in the series.

RESULTS

MRI is useful in making the diagnosis of Stener-like lesions and prompting the surgeon to explore the distal MCL. Coronal MRI shows variable proximal retraction of the torn ligament. It has a lax contour and abuts the pes anserinus. The proximity of the torn ligament end to the pes can result in misdiagnosis of a partial tear. Axial images are useful to confirm position of the ligament superficial to the pes. All cases had associated tear of the deep MCL fibers, as well as sprains of the proximal superficial MCL.

CONCLUSIONS

It is important to recognize the Stener-like lesion because this lesion is usually managed surgically, while most MCL tears are managed conservatively. The presence of injury to the proximal MCL is usually present, and may be a distractor from the distal injury. Care must be taken to include the distal attachment of the sMCL on coronal MRI images.

Athletes With Musculoskeletal Injuries Identified at the NFL Scouting Combine and Prediction of Outcomes in the NFL: A Systematic Review

Background:

Prior to the annual National Football League (NFL) Draft, the top college football prospects are evaluated by medical personnel from each team at the NFL Scouting Combine. On the basis of these evaluations, each athlete is assigned an orthopaedic grade from the medical staff of each club, which aims to predict the impact of an athlete’s injury history on his ability to participate in the NFL.

Purpose:

(1) To identify clinical predictors of signs, symptoms, and subsequent professional participation associated with football-related injuries identified at the NFL Combine and (2) to assess the methodological quality of the evidence currently published.

Study Design:

Systematic review; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods:

A systematic review was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines. We reviewed all studies that examined musculoskeletal injuries identified among athletes at the NFL Combine and associated outcomes. Data on signs, symptoms, and subsequent NFL participation were collected, and the methodological quality of the studies was assessed.

Results:

Overall, 32 studies, including 30 injury-specific studies, met the inclusion criteria. Twenty studies analyzed data collected at the NFL Combine from 2009 and later. When compared with matched controls, athletes with a history of a cervical or lumbar spine injury, rotator cuff repair, superior labrum anterior-posterior repair, anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction, full-thickness chondral lesions of the knee, or Lisfranc injury played in significantly fewer games early in their NFL careers. Additionally, athletes with a history of a cervical or lumbar spine injury, rotator cuff repair, and navicular injury had decreased career lengths versus controls. Defensive players and linemen were found to have decreased participation in the NFL for several injuries, including prior meniscectomy, anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction, and shoulder instability. Career length follow-up, measures of athletic participation, and matching criteria were highly variable among studies.

Conclusion:

For medical professionals caring for professional football athletes, this information can help guide orthopaedic grading of prospects at the NFL Combine and counseling of athletes on the potential impact of prior injuries on their professional careers. For future studies, improvements in study methodology will provide greater insight into the efficacy of current treatments and areas that require further understanding.