Return to sports after surgery in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis

Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) affects approximately 1–3% of the population, of whom less than 10% will require surgical intervention. Sports activities are inherent to these ages as well as present in the school curriculum. Sports activities can be categorized into non-contact, contact, and collision sports. Currently, there is a lack of consensus in the literature regarding the decision-making process for the resumption of sports activities and the types of activities permitted after posterior spinal fusion in AIS patients. The aim of this study was to explore spine surgeon’s recommendations for resuming sports after AIS surgery.

We developed an ad-hoc survey consisting of ten questions and sent it via e-mail to members of the spine society nationwide.

Sixty-one members responded to the questionnaire. Overall, 20.7% recommended a return to non-contact sports after 6 months, while 20.7% allowed a return to contact sports and 23.1% a return to collision sports after 12 months or more.

Adolescents with idiopathic scoliosis can resume their daily activities and sports after undergoing posterior spinal surgery. However, establishing a clear classification for different types of sports activities remains challenging, leading to discrepancies regarding decision-making during the postoperative period. Internationally validated guidelines for determining the type and timing of return to sports activities are still pending.