ArticleKnee surgery, sports traumatology, arthroscopy : official journal of the ESSKA2025
Performance and return to sport outcomes following hip arthroscopy in National Hockey League players.
Article in Knee surgery, sports traumatology, arthroscopy : official journal of the ESSKA, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.
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Who cites it
5 citing papers in PubMed.
- Return-to-sport and performance outcomes after Achilles tendon rupture in National Hockey League players: A matched cohort study.Knee surgery, sports traumatology, arthroscopy : official journal of the ESSKA · 2026Article
- Article
- Research Progress on Common Sports Injuries Among Youth Ice Hockey Players and Prevention Strategies: A Narrative Review.Sports (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Review
- The Impact of Hip Arthroscopy on Long-term Performance Trajectories in NHL Players: A Matched Cohort Study Using Advanced Analytics.Orthopaedic journal of sports medicine · 2025Article
- Performance and return to sport outcomes following hip arthroscopy in National Hockey League players.Knee surgery, sports traumatology, arthroscopy : official journal of the ESSKA · 2025Article
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5 authors.
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Abstract
purposeIntra-articular hip disorders, such as femoroacetabular impingement syndrome (FAIS), labral tears and chondral damage are common in ice hockey players, particularly in the National Hockey League (NHL). However, evidence on return-to-sport (RTS) rates and performance outcomes post-hip arthroscopy remains limited. This study evaluates RTS rates, career longevity, and performance metrics, including games played, points per game (PPG), save percentage, and performance scores (PS), following hip arthroscopy.
methodsNHL players who underwent hip arthroscopy for intra-articular pathology between 2000 and 2024 were identified using public records. RTS rates, career duration, and performance metrics were analysed pre- and post-surgery. Paired t-tests and analyses of variance (ANOVA) were performed across positions (forwards, defensemen and goaltenders).
resultsA total of 92 NHL players (103 hips) met inclusion criteria. The overall RTS rate was 79.3%, increasing to 84.9% when excluding players still recovering. RTS was significantly higher in players <30 years (90.0% vs. 64.3%, p = 0.003). The average number of post-operative seasons played was 2.7, with no positional differences. Forwards showed significant declines in PPG (pre: 0.63 ± 0.38; post: 0.51 ± 0.37; p = 0.013) and PS (pre: 0.60 ± 0.74; post: 0.37 ± 0.69; ∆PS = -0.23; p = 0.026). Defensemen showed no significant change in PPG (p = 0.648) or PS (p = 0.509). Goaltenders had a decline in save percentage (pre: 0.91 ± 0.01; post: 0.89 ± 0.03; p = 0.038), while wins per season were unchanged (p = 0.205). RTS did not significantly differ by position.
conclusionNHL players undergoing hip arthroscopy have high RTS rates and often resume multi-season careers. However, forwards experience greater declines in performance, while defensemen and goaltenders are less affected. These results underscore position-specific recovery trends and may inform rehabilitation strategies in elite hockey athletes. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level V.
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