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. 2020 Dec 24:23:46-51.
doi: 10.1016/j.jor.2020.12.010. eCollection 2021 Jan-Feb.

A qualitative assessment of return to sport following Achilles tendon repair

Joshua G Peterson  1 , Vehniah K Tjong  1 , Mitesh P Mehta  1 , Bailey N Goyette  1 , Milap Patel  1 , Anish R Kadakia  1
Affiliations

A qualitative assessment of return to sport following Achilles tendon repair

Joshua G Peterson et al. J Orthop. .

Abstract

Studies have demonstrated successful return to sport rates following Achilles tendon rupture and repair. The purpose of this study is to understand the subjective intrinsic and extrinsic motivational factors influencing an athlete's return to pre-injury level of sport following Achilles tendon repair. Qualitative, semi-structured interviews of 23 athletes who had undergone Achilles tendon repair were conducted and analyzed to derive codes, categories, and themes. Three major themes affecting return to sport were elucidated from the interviews: personal motivation, shift in focus, and confidence in healthcare team. These findings can direct healthcare teams on how to better guide patients post-operatively.

Keywords: Achilles tendon repair; Achilles tendon rupture; Qualitative interviews; Return to sport.

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Conflict of interest statement

None. No outside funding or grants were received that assisted in this study. No authors have proprietary interests in the materials described in this study. Informed consent was obtained from subjects for this study. Northwestern University IRB: STU00209802.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Study Participation *Wrong number, change of address, and no answer after repeated calls. **Patients with identical type of sport, level of competition, and frequency of activity before and after injury.
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