Postoperative Outcome Evaluation Following Surgical Treatment of Osteochondral Lesions

In the past decades, major advances in the diagnosis, surgical technique, and rehabilitation of osteochondral lesions of the talus (OLTs) have been made. These advances can only become valid if the histological, radiographical, and clinical outcomes of OLT improve after the surgical procedure. The identification of specific factors that correlate with the clinical outcome is also being increasingly recognized. Such clinical outcome data can be used to facilitate patient management and to provide the necessary evidence for the effectiveness of surgery and rehabilitation. The primary focus on postoperative clinical outcome refers to activity limitation and participation restriction in daily life and sports activities. This article reviews the relevant clinical outcome measures for the evaluation of OLTs.