Return to sports following arthroscopic Bankart repair: a narrative review

The Bankart lesion is a common manifestation of shoulder instability observed particularly among young athletes. Athletes undergoing arthroscopic Bankart repair demonstrate higher rates of return to sport compares to alternative anterior shoulder stabilization methods. Rehabilitation therapy following surgery is crucial for improving shoulder mobility and strength, hastening return to activities, and boosting patient satisfaction. However, many criteria considered to determine the athlete's return to sport. Surgeons typically advise athletes to resume sports six months post-surgery, aiming for at least 80% of pre-injury strength, full range of pain-free motion, and improvement in shoulder proprioception. Although most types of sports have a high rate of return to sport, it should be noted that overhead sports types have the lowest return-to-sport rates compared to other type of sports. While many athletes return to their previous level, some may face psychological challenges. The purpose of this article to present an overview of anterior shoulder instability and focuses on rehabilitation and the return to sport after arthroscopic Bankart repair.