Return to Play of Elite Overhead Athletes with Superior Labral Anterior Posterior Tears only after Rehabilitation

Background: Although there have been multiple reports on surgical outcomes of superior labral anterior to posterior (SLAP) lesions in overhead athletes, only a few reports exist in the literature about the results of nonoperative treatment in elite (collegiate or professional) overhead athletes. To determine the clinical outcomes of nonoperative treatment of SLAP lesions in elite overhead athletes. Methods: Between January 2006 and December 2011, 69 patients were selected. Initial arthroscopic SLAP repair was performed in 19 patients and of the 50 patients who underwent nonsurgical treatment, such as range of motion gain and periscapular muscle strengthening, 14 patients were converted to surgical treatment; 5 patients were lost to follow-up. Medical records of 31 elite overhead athletes who underwent nonsurgical treatment were retrospectively reviewed. Four clinical outcome measures were used: visual analogue scale (VAS) for pain, VAS for satisfaction, American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) score, and subjective feeling of recovery. Results: The average follow-up period was 35.9 months (range, 24-62 months). The VAS for pain decreased from 6.5 to 2.2 (p<0.01) and VAS for satisfaction was 7.6. The ASES score increased from 54.1 to 85.9 (p<0.01). The overall average value of subjective feeling of recovery was 72%. Twenty-three out of 31 elite athletes (74.2%) returned to play after rehabilitation; these 23 athletes performed at the same or higher levels after rehabilitation. Conclusions: Nonsurgical treatment in elite overhead athletes with SLAP lesion should be considered as a treatment option.