Predictive Factors and Duration to Return to Sport After Isolated Meniscectomy

Return to sport (RTS) after meniscectomy is an important metric for young, active patients. However, the impact of the duration from surgery to RTS on clinical outcomes is not fully understood and is not reflected in outcome scores.

To establish when patients RTS after meniscectomy and to determine predictive measures for the ability to return to their preinjury activity.

Case-control study; Level of evidence, 3.

All patients undergoing meniscectomy between 2016 and 2017 from a single institution were assessed for inclusion. RTS, type of activity, and level of function upon returning were obtained. The minimal clinically important difference (MCID), substantial clinical benefit, and patient acceptable symptom state (PASS) were calculated for the Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) and International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) questionnaire using anchor-based and distribution-based approaches. Preoperative knee-specific and generic quality-of-life scores were analyzed to determine their predictive power of RTS. A multivariate logistical analysis was also performed to determine which demographic variables corresponded to RTS.

Overall, 94 patients (mean age, 51.0 ± 11.1 years) who underwent meniscectomy participated in sports within 6 months of surgery. Of these patients, 76.6% returned to sport without permanent restrictions at a mean of 8.6 ± 6.9 weeks postoperatively. RTS rates for low-, medium-, and high-intensity activities were 75.0%, 70.0%, and 82.5%, respectively. RTS was associated with achieving the PASS for the KOOS-Physical Function short form (PS), KOOS-Pain, and KOOS-Sports (P = .004, P = .007, and P = .006, respectively) but not for the IKDC questionnaire (P = .3). Achieving the MCID was associated with RTS for the KOOS-Sports, KOOS-Pain, and IKDC questionnaire (P < .001, P = .03, and P = .001, respectively). There was no preoperative or intraoperative variable that was predictive of RTS. Preoperative KOOS-PS scores ≥37.8 (area under the curve = 76.3%) and KOOS-Pain scores ≥51.4 (area under the curve = 72.5%) were predictive of RTS.

Approximately 77% of patients returned to sport after meniscectomy at a mean of 2 months postoperatively. The level of activity intensity did not significantly alter the rate of RTS. Higher preoperative scores on the KOOS-PS and KOOS-Pain were predictive of RTS. Identifying these factors allows physicians to counsel patients on expected outcomes after meniscectomy.