Rehabilitation and Return to Play of an Ice-Hockey Athlete after Lateral Meniscus Repair: A Case Report

Abstract

Abstract The type of exercise rehabilitation procedure for athletes who sustain lateral meniscal injuries varies by case, and since such injuries are rare compared to medial meniscal injuries, there is the need for more evidence based on more examples. This case report presents a rehabilitation exercise program that enabled an early return to play for an ice hockey athlete who played in a university sports league. An ice hockey player was diagnosed with a tear in the anterior horn of the lateral meniscal at 20 years old. The patient underwent arthroscopic meniscal repair and was discharged one day after surgery. A three-stage rehabilitation program was developed, as follows: Phase I, the protective phase (reduce inflammation symptoms and restore range of motion to enable weight-bearing); Phase II, the restorative phase (improve the strength of the quadriceps muscle and recover cardiovascular endurance); Phase III, the return to full functional activity (familiarize the patient with sport-specific skills and recover the symmetric functional level on both sides). After completing the 10-week rehabilitation program, the patient returned to the game 71 days after surgery, and no meniscus reinjury occurred up to 10 years after surgery. The functional performance-focused rehabilitation program presented in this case report resulted in early return to sports and good long-term outcomes.