Return to sport following acetabular fracture fixation: insights from a specialist tertiary centre on outcomes and key predictors.

Purpose: This investigation examined return-to-sport (RTS) outcomes and performance determinants following surgical fixation of acetabular fractures in young athletes. The primary objectives were to quantify RTS rates, evaluate functional outcomes, and identify key predictors of athletic recovery.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of 62 patients (mean age: 29.6 years) who underwent acetabular fracture fixation at a tertiary care centre. The investigation encompassed pre- and post-operative athletic participation, patient satisfaction metrics, and psychological readiness assessments. Primary outcome measures included stratified RTS rates, with functional and psychological parameters evaluated using the Copenhagen Hip and Groin Outcome Score (HAGOS) and Hip Return to Sport after Injury (Hip-RSI) scale.

Results: While 82.3% of patients resumed athletic activities, 53.2% returned to their primary sport, with only 19.4% achieving pre-injury performance levels. Multivariate analysis revealed that superior articular reduction quality and elevated psychological readiness scores, as measured by the Hip-RSI, were significant predictors of successful RTS outcomes.

Conclusion: Despite encouraging overall RTS rates, restoration of pre-injury athletic performance remains challenging. The study highlights the critical role of both psychological preparedness and anatomical reduction quality in optimizing outcomes.