Summary
Is it possible for a young soccer player to return to play in a professional soccer team after an ACL reconstruction?
Abstract
Introduction
Anterior cruciate ligament injury (ACL) is increasingly common in young patients. Sports with physical contact and rotational movements, such as soccer, increase the risk of injury.
Purpose
To longitudinally evaluate the career progression of youth club team soccer athletes who undergo ACL reconstruction.
Methods
Athletes from 29 Brazilian youth professional soccer teams who underwent ACL reconstruction were followed up from 2015 to 2023. Their career progression (under-13 up to professional), graft type, presence of re-rupture, and continuation of sport were evaluated.
Results
A total of 163 players from 29 professional soccer teams underwent ACL reconstruction during the study period and had adequate follow-up for evaluation. Most ACL injuries occurred in players in the under-17 (31.28%) and under-20 (47.23%) youth categories. A total of 111 athletes returned to play in their soccer teams after ACL reconstruction (68.1%), and 52 patients discontinued their careers (31.9%). Of the athletes who returned to sport, 40 play professionally (24.5%) and 71 are aspiring professionals but play at a non-professional level (43.6%) yet. Among the professional athletes who returned to sport, 8/40 underwent revision ACL reconstruction surgery (20%). The most common graft choice (77.3% of the reconstructions) was hamstring tendon autograft.
Conclusion
Soccer players from professional soccer teams who underwent ACL reconstruction while still playing in the youth teams of their clubs demonstrated a return to a high level sport rate of 68.1%. Among players who have reached adult professional age, 40 (83.3%), continue to play, and 8 (16.7%) have discontinued professional soccer.