Return to Performance and Joint Preservation: Where Are We in 2026

This episode examines what it actually takes for athletes to return to their prior level of performance after knee injury. Host Dr. Joaquin Moya-Angeler is joined by Professor Romain Seil and Francesco Della Villa for a discussion spanning rehabilitation, joint preservation and how the goals of sports medicine have shifted over time.

A central theme is the distinction between returning to sport and returning to performance – many athletes rejoin their teams, but regaining their pre-injury level of play is a separate and often harder benchmark.

The conversation also addresses long-term joint preservation, particularly in younger athletes. Professor Seil notes that a knee injury can accelerate joint ageing, and argues that athletes and their families should understand these long-term risks as part of return-to-sport decisions. The discussion extends to the ethical dimensions of returning young athletes to competition, and the case for more informed, shared decision-making.

Seil and Della Villa outline criteria they consider relevant to guiding return-to-competition decisions, noting that psychological readiness develops alongside physical recovery rather than following it.

They also discuss how wearable technology and data analytics are being used in rehabilitation settings, potentially supporting more individualised protocols based on an athlete's recovery data.

The episode closes on the value of a multidisciplinary approach – orthopaedic surgeons, physiotherapists and sports medicine specialists working together toward recovery plans that address both performance and long-term joint health.

jingle track (baby jean) provided by mobygratis

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