Case Report on an English Premier League Player with return to play in less than 8 weeks post ACL rupture

A male 32-year-old international level professional footballer, who at the time of injury was playing football in the English Premier League sustained an ACL rupture. Soon after his rupture he was identified as a ‘coper’ with high levels of trust and stability in the injured knee. He completed an intensive supervised rehabilitation program and returned to play in less than 8 week. 18months following the initial injury the participant remains fully available for selection and is now a regular starter for his current club.

Opinions about non-operative and surgical treat- ment for ACL injuries have even less justification or evidence base within the literature if the demands of elite professional sport are accepted to be greater than the general population, despite it being shown possible to return to lower level running, jumping and cutting sports with non-operative treatment

Some studies have demonstrated in non-elite athletes that intensive rehabilitation may provide similar or better outcomes than ACL reconstruction surgery.

One case, limited to the relatively short term, provides no evidential basis for others to necessarily base their clinical decisions. However, this case provides a starting point for much needed debate about best practice, treatment options, research direction and not just at the elite level of sport.