Microfracture for fullthickness chondral lesions of the knee in elite athletes leads to high returnt...

Injuries to the knee are common in elite athletes and often involve damage to the articular cartilage. Given the high demands of elite sport, full-thickness articular cartilage defects in the knee can be career-limiting or threatening. Microfracture can promote cartilage repair, but the resultant mixed fibrocartilaginous tissue is believed to be less resilient than the native hyaline cartilage. The aim of this study was to determine the factors affecting return-to-play (RTP) and continued participation in elite sport by athletes after microfracture in the knee.