Return to recreational activity after hip abductor repair: A systematic review

Hip abductor tears are a relatively common pathology that can impede activity and quality of life. Surgical repair may confer a greater ability to return to recreational activities; however, to our knowledge no systematic reviews have been conducted exploring this. The purpose of this study is to describe the ability to return to recreation following hip abductor repair, and identify any patient factors affecting post-surgical prognosis.

A systematic search of peer-reviewed studies published on and prior to February 15th, 2024 was conducted using Medline (Ovid), Embase, Cochrane, and CINAHL (EBSCO) in adherence with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) standards. The search included a combination of keywords and controlled vocabulary for the following concepts: return to recreation and hip abductor repair. Outcomes of interest included return to recreation beyond patient reported outcome measures, imaging, surgical indications, surgical methods/techniques, concomitant procedures, complications, reoperations, postoperative management, and sports related outcome scores if applicable.

Across 5 studies, a total of 474 patients (41 males, 433 females) with a history of recreational activity and mean age of 69.92 years underwent repair. Two studies reported the number of patients returning to recreation, yielding a return rate of 76 %, with walking having the highest return (N = 26), and skiing, soccer, and horse-riding seeing no return. There was no difference in return based on procedural technique or concomitant procedures (P > 0.05). The most common postsurgical complication was re-tear (N = 25) for which 20 patients underwent secondary repair. Across 4 studies, there was a weighted satisfaction rate of 91.47 % with return to recreation. The fifth study reported a satisfaction score of 8 out of 10.

With an aging population and a growing desire to maintain elevated levels of physical activity, the importance of assessing return to recreation following hip abductor repair is increasingly crucial. This study demonstrates a relatively high satisfaction rate while also underscoring a greater need to report specific activities when discussing postsurgical return to recreation.