Editorial Commentary: Returning to High-Impact Sports After Hip Arthroscopy: Are We Shooting Ourselves in the Hip?

Abstract

There is a clear consensus in the literature that professional athletes exhibit high rates of return to sport following hip arthroscopy. As orthopaedic surgeons, we are well equipped to guide athletes back to the field after intra-articular hip injuries. However, returning to high-impact sports and playing through the pain can have implications on long-term health. Literature suggests that former elite athletes are at greater risk for reinjury and developing hip osteoarthritis compared with non-athletes. While it is incumbent upon us as orthopaedic surgeons to inform and advise our patients regarding the long-term consequences of return to sport after a hip injury, we recognize and enthusiastically support the passion that many athletes feel for the game and the vast benefits that they can derive from returning to the sport they love.