Longitudinal assessments of strength and dynamic balance from pre-injury baseline to 3 and 4 months after labrum repairs in collegiate athletes.
Ling Li, Brenna K McGuinness, Jacob S Layer and 3 others
PMID 34098835WHAT IT FOUND
Sixteen collegiate athletes showed significant strength deficits on the injured arm at 3 and 4 months post-labrum surgery, while dynamic balance returned to baseline by 3 months.
Time alone is an insufficient criterion for return-to-play; objective strength testing is required.
Key findings
01Peak forces on the injured side decreased significantly from baseline to 3 months post-surgery and remained significantly lower than baseline at 4 months.
02Dynamic balance (reaching distance) did not change significantly between baseline and either post-surgery assessment.
03At 4 months post-surgery, only 50% of athletes had strength asymmetries less than 10%.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
The sample size was small (16 athletes) and lacked a control group, so normal training adaptations versus recovery effects cannot be fully distinguished. Participants were all Division I athletes, mostly in contact sports, which limits generalizability to recreational athletes or those in non-contact sports. Follow-up was short (only up to 4 months), so long-term recovery trajectories and re-injury risks were not assessed. The study included different types of labrum tears (SLAP and non-SLAP) without separating them in the analysis, potentially masking specific deficits for each injury type.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that a normal dynamic balance test means the athlete is ready to return to play. Strength deficits persisted at 4 months even when balance had returned to baseline, so relying on balance alone may lead to premature clearance and increased re-injury risk.