Improved Return to Play in Intercollegiate Contact Athletes Following Arthroscopic Stabilization for Anterior Shoulder Instability: A Prospective Multicenter Study

Objectives:Debate continues regarding the optimal treatment of intercollegiate contact athletes with in-season anterior shoulder instability. Comparative evaluation of successful return to play (RTP) without recurrence in subsequent seasons after the index instability event has not been prospectively evaluated in this patient population. The purpose of this study was to examine return to sport and recurrent instability in the season that follows the index anterior in-season instability event.Methods:Over two academic years, 45 contact intercollegiate athletes treated nonoperatively or with arthroscopic stabilization were prospectively followed in a multicenter observational study to evaluate RTP and recurrent instability in the intercollegiate season following an initial in-season anterior glenohumeral instability event. The primary outcome of interest was successful RTP, defined as the ability to return to sport in the subsequent season without recurrent instability. Baseline data collection included spo...