Editorial Commentary: Rate of Shoulder Instability, and Outcome After Arthroscopic Bankart Stabilization, Are Equal Among Men and Women When Similar Sports Are Compared.

Abstract

Male athletes have been shown to have a higher incidence of shoulder instability and higher rates of recurrence after arthroscopic stabilization. However, when similar sports are compared, the incidence of instability effectively equalizes. When similar sports are compared, outcomes after arthroscopic Bankart repair may also equalize when compared by sex. Next, contact and collision athletes with shoulder instability have more severe intra-articular pathologies that affect their treatment and outcomes. As these sports become more available to women worldwide, we may see more women athletes with more complex shoulder instability-related pathology. Ultimately, the solution may be to ensure equal resources available to optimize surgical outcomes for athletes after surgery, regardless of sex. We must not leave female athletes on the bench.