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Return to Soccer Following Acute Patellar Dislocation

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Return to Play in Football

Abstract

Lateral patellar dislocation is the frequent cause of knee dysfunction in young athletes—with a particularly high risk noted in female soccer players. Although acute surgical management has been explored, nonoperative management remains the mainstay of treatment after first-time dislocation. In the setting of recurrent lateral patellar instability, surgical reconstruction is typically recommended, including MPFL reconstruction with adjuvant bony and soft tissue procedures depending on associated anatomic instability factors. Numerous questions persist regarding optimal immobilization, bracing, taping, and physical therapy rehabilitation regimens. Return to play programs should involve an individualized progression through objective phases supervised by a trained rehabilitation professional. The ultimate goal of management is to minimize recurrence and return athletes to soccer at their previous level of play.

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Correspondence to Elizabeth A. Arendt M.D. .

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Magnussen, R.A., Schmitt, L.C., Arendt, E.A. (2018). Return to Soccer Following Acute Patellar Dislocation. In: Musahl, V., Karlsson, J., Krutsch, W., Mandelbaum, B., Espregueira-Mendes, J., d'Hooghe, P. (eds) Return to Play in Football. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-55713-6_48

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