Lempainen L1, Kosola J1, Pruna R2, Puigdellivol J2, Ranne J1, Orava S1.
Author information
1 Sports Trauma Research Unit, Mehiläinen NEO Sports Hospital, Turku, Finland. 2 Futbol Club Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
Abstract
Background:
Proximal rectus femoris (PRF) tears are relatively rare injuries among top-level athletes. PRF injuries can be avulsions of both tendon heads (direct and reflected heads) or of a single head, and some have a tendency to progress to recurrent injuries.
Purpose:
To describe a series of operatively treated PRF ruptures in professional soccer players.
Study Design:
Case series; Level of evidence, 4.
Methods:
Nineteen cases of PRF injuries (18 patients, 1 bilateral) in professional soccer players who were treated surgically were retrospectively reviewed. Perioperative findings with return-to-play data were recorded.
Results:
Of the PRF injuries, 10 total avulsions (both heads) and 9 single-head tears were seen on magnetic resonance imaging and were later confirmed during surgery. All 18 patients returned to their preinjury level of play (mean follow-up, 2.8 years [range, 1-11 years]).
Conclusion:
The repair of PRF tears in professional soccer players yielded good results and allowed all patients to return to their preinjury level of play.
KEYWORDS:
proximal rectus femoris injury; soccer; sports injury; surgical treatmentPMID: 30288390 PMCID: PMC6168727 DOI: 10.1177/2325967118798827
Read article: Lempainen et al OJSM 2018 Proximal Rectus Femoris (pdf)
