Background: The treatment options of talar osteochondral lesions are numerous. Although studies show these treatments have been used with varying success, the ability to return to activity (RTA), including sports after treatment of talar dome injuries, have not been well documented. Hypothesis: A treatment plan that uses microfracture for Hepple stage 2 through 4 lesions and autogenous bone grafting for Hepple stage 5 lesions for athletes with articular lesions of the talus will produce a high rate of return to athletic activity. Study Design: Case series; Level of evidence, 4. Methods: Preoperative and postoperative American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) scores and RTA were assessed prospectively 2 to 8 years after surgery in high-demand (athletic) patients with articular injuries to the talar dome treated according to the above protocol over a 6-year period. Results: There were 26 microfracture procedures and 20 bone grafts to the talus. The AOFAS scores for both microfracture (preoperative, 54.6; postoperative, 94.4) and bone graft (preoperative, 46.1; postoperative, 93.4) patients improved significantly. The RTA for the entire group was 17.0 ± 5.3 weeks; for those undergoing microfracture, RTA was 15.1 ± 4.0 weeks; and for bone grafting, it was 19.6 ± 5.9 weeks. The RTA for the bone graft group was significantly slower than that of the microfracture group. Anterolateral lesions had significantly faster RTA and higher postoperative scores compared with other lesion locations. Arthroscopically treated lesions had similar postoperative AOFAS scores to those who had arthrotomy and did not have significantly faster RTA. Forty-four (96%) “excellent/good” AOFAS scores were achieved overall for talar lesions, with the same percentage of return to sport. Conclusions: Talar bone grafting required a longer time to return to activity than microfracture in high-demand patients, but both groups had similar postoperative AOFAS scores. When applied to appropriate lesions, both techniques allow athletic patients to return to sports.

Background: Navicular stress fractures of the foot often are difficult to diagnose and treat. Methods: Nineteen athletic patients seen from 1999 to 2003, were compared to a previously treated group of 22 athletes with similar injuries treated from 1994 to 1998. Based on the frontal plane CT images, a previously described classification system was used to assess the injury: type I dorsal cortical break; type II fracture extending into the navicular body; and type III fracture breaches two cortices. Nonoperative treatment was recommended for patients with type I injuries and open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) were recommended for those with type II and III injuries. The time to return to activity and ability to return to competition were assessed, along with differences between fracture type and gender. Results: Return to activity (RTA) was 4.0 months for the entire group. RTA for type I (four injuries), type II (eight injuries), and type III (seven injuries) was 3.8, 3.7, and 4.2 months, respectively. Fifteen of 16 competitive athletes returned to full competition, including all who had ORIF. Conclusions: Navicular stress fractures can take 4 months to heal with nonoperative or operative treatment. Surgery should be considered for more severe injuries, which can be assessed by CT scan.

Sesamoidectomy of the first metatarsophalangeal joint in athletically active patients may be indicated in cases of chronic sesamoiditis resistant to nonsurgical care or symptomatic displaced fractures or nonunion. Painful scar, hallux deviation, and delayed return to activity are all potential complications. These need to be considered especially when performing surgery in the athletically active individual. Twenty-six sesamoidectomies in 24 patients (21 females and 3 males) were reviewed for type of sesamoidectomy, incision location, time to return to activity, and complications. Mean age was 35.4 years (range, 16–68 years) with mean follow-up 86.4 months. Eleven athletes (defined as professional or varsity level sports) operated on had a mean return to activity of 7.5 weeks (range, 4–10 weeks), while 13 “active” patients had a mean return to activity of 12.0 weeks. This difference was statistically significant using the t-test, (p <.02). There were 10 fibular and 16 tibial sesamoids excised. Complications included one hallux varus and two cases of postoperative scarring with neuroma-like symptoms, all associated with fibular sesamoidectomy; there was one case of hallux valgus deformity with tibial sesamoidectomy. Despite the functional importance of tibial and fibular sesamoids, athletically active individuals can return to sports after a sesamoidectomy as early as 7.5 weeks.