2023 ISAKOS Biennial Congress ePoster
Quadricep Muscle Injuries in Major League Soccer: A Decade Long Analysis of Injury Rate, Associated Factors, and Return to Play
Brian Forsythe, MD, Chicago, IL UNITED STATES
Vikranth R Mirle, BS, Chicago, IL UNITED STATES
Vahram Gamsarian, BE, Chicago, IL UNITED STATES
Aditya Narayanan Krishnan, BS, Alpharetta, GA UNITED STATES
Zachary Levine, BS, North Chicago, IL UNITED STATES
Elyse Berlinberg, BS, New York, NY UNITED STATES
Eric Giza, MD, Sacramento, CA UNITED STATES
Margot Putukian, MD, Princeton, NJ UNITED STATES
Holly Silvers-Granelli, PhD, MPT, Santa Monica, CA UNITED STATES
Bert Roland Mandelbaum, MD, DHL(Hon), Santa Monica, California UNITED STATES
Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois, UNITED STATES
FDA Status Not Applicable
Summary
A epidemiological analysis of quadricep injuries in MLS athletes over a 10 year period showing factors affecting return to sport time.
ePosters will be available shortly before Congress
Abstract
Purpose
To examine (1) the incidence of quadricep muscle injuries in MLS athletes, (2) return-to-sport (RTP) following quadricep injury, (3) investigate conditions that are associated with increased time to RTP.
Methodology
The MLS Injury Surveillance database was queried for athletes with quadriceps injuries from 2010 to 2021. A quadricep injury was defined as an incident involving the quadricep group that required medical attention. Demographic characteristics and injury characteristics (laterality, setting of injury, activity during onset, severity, management, RTP, and re-injury) were used for descriptive analysis.
Results
1550 total injuries were recorded between 2010 and 2021 in 919 MLS players. The median absence from sport per injury was 6.0 days (mean: 18.85 ± 42.1 days). RTP post injury significantly increased from 14.4 days in 2010-2015 to 23.0 in 2016-2021 (p<0.001). Of the 1550 total injuries, 631 (40.7%) were re-injuries. Players who experienced reinjury had a decreased time to RTP after index injury compared to players without reinjury (14.0 days vs 22.4 days, p=0.13). Reinjury rate decreased from 37.3% in 2010-2015 to 32.6% in 2016-2021 (p = 0.05). Players injured in rain and snow incurred significantly shorter RTP times compared to those injured in sunny or clear conditions (10.9 days vs 18.8 days, p<0.001). Other factors including age group, player position, and field type, did not significantly affect RTP.?
Conclusion
The median return to sport time after quadricep injury in the MLS between 2010-2021 was 6 days, and the reinjury rate was 40.7%. Comparing injuries between 2011-2015 and 2016-2021, there was a 64.2% increase in days missed for a quadricep injury (p<0.001). Weather conditions, injury onset, and competitive setting (match vs. practice) were significantly associated with increased time to RTP while field type, position, and age were not. The current findings concur with findings in MLS adductor injuries suggesting that a high risk of reinjury has contributed to longer rehabilitation timelines before RTP. These lengthened timelines might be justified given the significantly decreased quadricep reinjury rate (p = 0.05).