Up to One-Half of Runners Return to Running One Year After Arthroscopic Partial Meniscectomy

To determine whether, and at which frequency, runners return to running after undergoing arthroscopic partial meniscectomy (APM).

We identified patients who underwent surgery between August 2012 and December 2019 who were classified as runners (defined as running 2+ times per week according to Marx Activity Rating Scale Q1) and completed the 1-year follow-up to assess outcomes. Patients were followed using the Marx Activity Rating Scale, Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS), Veterans RAND 12-item Health Survey mental and physical components, and visual analog pain scale scores preoperatively and 1 and 2 years postoperatively. The association between baseline characteristics and return to running was assessed using the unpaired t test or Wilcoxon rank sum test for continuous predictors and a χ² test for categorical predictors, using the 1-year postoperative follow-up data.

A total of 185 patients were included in this study. One year after APM, 41% of runners returned to running at the same frequency or more frequently than before. Further, 50% of runners returned to running at least twice weekly. Return to running according to those definitions was similar at 2 years (38% and 47%, respectively). At both 1 and 2 years, runners exhibited significant improvements in KOOS (Pain), KOOS (Function in Sport and Recreation), visual analog pain scale, and Veterans RAND 12-item Health Survey physical component scores. Lower body mass index (P = .0248) and greater baseline running frequency (P = .0300) predicted return to running at least twice weekly at 1 year postoperatively. Medial versus lateral compartment partial meniscectomy and Outerbridge grade were not significant predictors of return to running.

Roughly 1 in 2 runners return to their preoperative running frequency after undergoing APM. Obesity and lower baseline running frequency were significantly associated with inability to return to running.

III, retrospective cohort study.