TREATMENT OF MENISCAL LESIONS IN PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALLERS
FEATURE / K.BORQUE, M.JONES, M.LAUGHLIN, M.COHEN, D.JOHNSON & A.WILLIAMS
Introduction
Meniscal injuries in footballers are a common cause of missed game time and even have the potential to be career shortening. While the treatment approach must take into account the footballer’s position, time in season, and contract status, goals remain the same: achieving the quickest safe return to play while protecting the long- term health of the joint [1]. Historically, meniscectomy has been the treatment of choice for isolated meniscal tears in elite footballers, with repairs reserved for tears with concomitant ligament injuries [2,3]. With growing evidence of the potential short and long term negative effects of meniscectomy [4–6], especially of the lateral meniscus, treatment is currently evolving to include more meniscal repairs [7–9].