Making an Impact: A Framework to Returning to High Level Activity Following Total Joint Arthroplasty

Course overview

Return to sport (RTS) following primary total joint arthroplasty (TJA) remains an area that is controversial due to potential concerns of increased complications or poor outcomes. Current recommendations for RTS are typically made based on physician preference and survey data, with time since replacement being the most commonly reported deciding factor. Successful RTS has been reported following TJA, however there is a trend toward returning to lower-impact sport. The number of TJAs performed in the United States has been projected to continue to rise and for the individuals who wish to return to high-impact sports participation, research on outcomes is needed to guide the rehabilitation process. The purpose of this session is to describe the current state of rehabilitation following TJA and to use case presentations to describe the successful return to high-impact activity using a criterion-based framework that can be used to fill knowledge gaps and guide future research.