Expert Opinion
When Surgery Success Hinges on Pre-Op Status
"It's almost an inevitability that at some point in the year you're going to have an athlete who undergoes surgery just because of the nature of the sport," Dr. Owens explained.
The evidence is striking. Athletes with low vitamin D status consistently show:
Worse outcomes after orthopedic surgery for ankle fixation issues
Slower bone healing after foot and ankle fixations when 25OHD levels are inadequate
Impaired strength recovery following ACL surgery when vitamin D levels fall below 75 nmol/L
But here's the critical insight that changes everything:
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