Return to elite-level sport after clavicle fractures

OBJECTIVE: To determine if return to sport following clavicle fracture occurs earlier in high-level sports than the current standard of care allows for. DESIGN: Observational study retrospective review of NHL prospective data. SETTING: The study was performed at a university orthopaedic surgery department. PATIENTS: NHL player with clavicle fracture. ASSESSMENT OF INDEPENDENT VARIABLES: The independent variable including time on injured reserve and type of treatment. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary study outcome measure was successful return to NHL play. RESULTS: 15 athletes were identified; 10 were treated operatively and 5 non-operatively. The average return to ice hockey was 10 weeks. If the one outlier is removed, the average is 9.1 weeks. There was one re-fracture in the non-operative group. The average time from injury to return to sport was 65 days in the operative group and 97.6 days in the non-operative group. Two patients were unable to return play during the same season. CONCLUSIONS: High-end athletes safely return to at-risk sports after clavicle fracture much sooner than the average seen with non-elite athletes. Additional study may demonstrate that return to activity can likely be accelerated without significantly increasing complications.