Return to Competition Following Cervical Disc Arthroplasty in an Elite Female Wrestler: A Case Report

BACKGROUND: Cervical disc arthroplasty (CDA) appears effective for treating cervical radiculopathy in elite athletes; however, evidence remains sparse, with limited reported cases involving wrestlers. CASE PRESENTATION: A 23-year-old female wrestler training at the United States Olympic and Paralympic Training Center underwent C5-C6 CDA to address chronic neck pain and concomitant left arm numbness and tingling. OUTCOME AND FOLLOW-UP: The athlete participated in 9 weeks of structured, post-operative rehabilitation. Her return to performance was complicated by distal arm numbness in more aggressive positions, which responded to neural glides and sport-specific rehabilitation. Cervical rotation toward the affected side remained limited at the end of our study period and was the slowest to recover. Her surgical clearance and first competition were 16 weeks post-operatively DISCUSSION: An elite female wrestler returned to full performance following CDA, though her recovery was slower than other elite athletes. This case supports that CDA can be successful in wrestlers who fail conservative treatments.