The Million Dollar Question: Can I Return to Sports After Unicompartmental Knee Arthroplasty, Doc?

Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is a widespread and potentially debilitating condition that can interfere with the growing demand for a healthy and active lifestyle. In people under the age of 55, the prevalence of OA is expected to increase substantially in the coming decades. High tibial osteotomy and cartilage repair operations have been used to treat OA in young, active individuals; however, these procedures require lengthy rehabilitation periods and result in poor return to preoperative levels of activity that make them unsuitable for the young, active patient. Unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA) is a less invasive treatment alternative, especially for younger, active, middle-aged persons with a desire to return to sporting activities. UKA yields successful return to activities with excellent functional outcomes and mid- to long-term survivorship. This article will review the ability of patients to return to sports after UKA, the type and nature of the sporting activities, as well as the timing to return to these sports.