Professional Soccer Players’ Return to Play and Performance After Operative Repair of Achilles Tendon Rupture:

Background:The majority of Achilles tendon ruptures are sports related; however, no investigation has examined the impact of surgical repair for complete ruptures on professional soccer players.Purpose:To examine the return to play, playing time, and performance of professional soccer players following Achilles tendon repair.Study Design:Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3.Methods:Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) and Major League Soccer (MLS) athletes who sustained a primary complete Achilles tendon rupture and were treated surgically between 1988 and 2014 were identified via public injury reports. Demographic information and performance-related statistics for the identified athletes were recorded for the season before surgery and 2 seasons after surgery and were compared with information for matched controls. Statistical analyses were used to assess differences in recorded metrics.Results:A total of 24 athletes with Achilles ruptures met inclusion criteria, 17 (70.8%) of whom were able to re...