RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Non-operative management of a complete anterior cruciate ligament injury in an English Premier League football player with return to play in less than 8 weeks: applying common sense in the absence of evidence
JF BMJ Case Reports
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd
SP bcr2014208012
DO 10.1136/bcr-2014-208012
VO 2015
A1 Richard Weiler
A1 Mathew Monte-Colombo
A1 Adam Mitchell
A1 Fares Haddad
YR 2015
UL http://casereports.bmj.com/content/2015/bcr-2014-208012.abstract
AB This case report illustrates and discusses the non-operative management of a complete anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury in an English Premier League football player, his return to play within 8 weeks and problem-free follow-up at 18 months post injury. When non-operative verses surgical ACL reconstruction is considered there are many fundamental gaps in our knowledge and currently, at elite level, there are no cases in cutting sports within the literature to guide these decisions. When the norm is for all professional footballers to be recommended surgery, it will be very challenging when circumstances and patient autonomy dictate a conservative approach, where prognosis, end points and risk are unclear and assumed to be high. This case challenges current dogma and provides a starting point for much needed debate about best practice, treatment options, research direction and not just at the elite level of sport.