Return to sport activity after osteochondral lesion of the talus treated with arthroscopic autologous matrix-induced chondrogenesis

The talar dome is a common site for osteochondral lesions, usually due to past trauma. Non-operative treatment leads to clinical improvement in less than half of the patients; moreover, in many cases, it does not facilitate a return to previous sporting activities. The aim of this retrospective study is to evaluate the return to sports activities of patients with osteochondral lesions of the talus larger than 1.5 cm²⁾who have undergone treatment using the arthroscopic Autologous Matrix-Induced Chondrogenesis technique at least 18 months after surgery. A total of 61 consecutive patients who were younger than 55 years old at the time of surgery and regularly engaged in sports activities were included in the study. The clinical assessment was performed with physical examination, the American Orthopedic Foot & Ankle Society ankle score, the visual analogue scale, and the Tegner activity scale before surgery and at the time of follow-up. Among the patients evaluated, 27 patients (44 %) returned to their main sport, while 34 patients (56 %) couldn't resume their previous sports activities. Of these, 6 patients (9.8 %) abandoned sports activities altogether. The American Orthopedic Foot & Ankle Society ankle score and visual analogue scale showed a statistically significant increase between pre- and post-surgery, while a statistically significant decrease in the Tegner score was recorded. The arthroscopic Autologous Matrix-Induced Chondrogenesis technique effectively treated osteochondral lesions, reducing pain and improving tibio-tarsal function, even in non-professional athletes, allowing a return to daily and non-competitive sports activities.