Return to Sport Following Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction: Women’s Field Hockey

Abstract

Competitive women’s field hockey has evolved through the years, making it a fast-paced sport, requiring high levels of strength, endurance, and cardiopulmonary demands.  While the sport of field hockey continues to grow, so does the number of ACL injuries. Research is lacking in return of female athletes to the sport post ACL reconstruction. The field hockey athlete is required to sprint, pivot, cut, and change directions quickly, while playing in a squat-like position. Rehabilitation guidelines addressing field hockey specific ACL injury must include building lower extremity muscular strength, optimizing neuromuscular control, and improving cardiopulmonary endurance. The challenge for the clinician is to incorporate sport specific elements into the rehabilitation and training to maximize function for return to play, while minimizing risk of reinjury for the field hockey athlete.  This guideline will provide a criterion-based rehabilitation progression with early integration of field hockey specific exercises to assist in the athlete’s multiplanar neuromuscular control and success in return to sport.