Return to sports

INTRODUCTION: Hamstring injuries are common in track and field athletes with a higher incidence in males than females. It causes a significant loss in training time and a decline in performance. This study evaluated rehabilitation strategies to accelerate return to full participation following hamstring injury. METHODS: Thirty-three athletes (22 males; 11 females) were screened from November 2021 to October 2023 until their final major competition. Out of these, 17 athletes with hamstring injuries were included in this study which were further divided into two groups, A (n=8) and B (n=9), using stratified random sampling with single blinding...

A successful return to sports (RTS) after an anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) is multifactorial, and therefore difficult and challenging. Unfortunately, low percentages of patients RTS, and for those who succeed, one-fifth of patients will sustain a second ACL injury. Over the past years, test batteries were developed to assess whether patients can RTS with a low risk for a second ACL injury risk. Low rates of patients who meet RTS criteria were found, coupled with the insufficiency of current RTS test batteries in predicting second ACL injuries suggesting poor sensitivity...

Selecting the lowest instrumented vertebra (LIV) in fusion for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis is potentially the most nuanced decision a surgeon has to make. This article reviews the literature on the range-of-motion loss related to the LIV, ability to return to sports based on LIV, correlation between LIV and disk degeneration, and short-term and long-term clinical outcomes related to LIV.

BACKGROUND: The timing of return to work (RTW) after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction (ACLR) is a less studied milestone compared with return to sports. PURPOSE: To systematically review the rate and postoperative timing of RTW after ACLR. STUDY DESIGN: Systematic review; Level of evidence, 4. METHODS: This study was conducted in accordance with the 2020 PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) statement...

BACKGROUND: Blood flow restriction training (BFRT) is a safe and potentially effective adjunctive therapeutic modality for postoperative rehabilitation related to various knee pathologies. However, there is a paucity of literature surrounding BFRT in high-performance athletes after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR). PURPOSE: To (1) compare the overall time to return to sports (RTS) in a cohort of National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I athletes who underwent a standardized rehabilitation program either with or without BFRT after ACLR and (2) identify a postoperative time interval for which BFRT has the maximum therapeutic benefit...

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BACKGROUND: Organized physical activity programs have been shown to provide wide benefits to participants, though there are relatively few studies examining the impact of these programs for individuals with developmental disabilities. This pilot study was conducted to determine the feasibility and impact of an undergraduate-led dance intervention program for children and adolescents with developmental disabilities. We evaluated the impact of the dance program on motor ability and social skills...

BACKGROUND: The Broström procedure is an established procedure in cases of primary lateral ankle ligament repair (LALR). To improve postoperative stability an augmentation device, InternalBrace™ (Arthrex, Naples, FL) has been introduced. This study evaluates remodelling of the anterior talofibular ligament (ATFL) in patients undergoing a tape augmented Broström technique as well as clinical outcomes. METHODS: In this study 32 patients with chronic lateral ankle instability (CLAI) receiving augmented LALR were included...

BACKGROUND: Although numerous studies have reported successful clinical outcomes of Meniscal allograft transplantation (MAT) or Meniscal scaffold implantation (MSI), the difference between the outcome of MAT and MSI remains unclear. PURPOSE: To compare the overall outcomes and survival rates of MAT and MSI, aiming to provide comprehensive evidence for determining the optimal treatment strategy for meniscal defects. METHODS: A systematic review was performed via a comprehensive search of PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library...

BACKGROUND: Neck pain in a concussion population is an emerging area of study that has been shown to have a negative influence on recovery. This effect has not yet been studied in collegiate athletes. HYPOTHESIS: New or worsened neck pain is common after a concussion (>30%), negatively influences recovery, and is associated with patient sex and level of contact in sport. STUDY DESIGN: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 2. METHODS: Varsity-level athletes from 29 National Collegiate Athletic Association member institutions as well as nonvarsity sport athletes at military service academies were eligible for enrollment...

BACKGROUND: Greater quadriceps strength symmetry is associated with better outcomes after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR). Isometric and isokinetic assessments of quadriceps strength inform therapeutic exercise prescription and return-to-sport decisions. It is unclear whether isometric and isokinetic measures provide similar information post-ACLR. HYPOTHESIS: Quadriceps strength symmetry is similar between isometric and isokinetic assessments. Isokinetic and isometric strength symmetries have similar associations to functional knee kinetics and self-reported knee function...

A concussion is the mildest form of a mild traumatic brain injury (tbi) and resembles the most prevalent type of sports associated tbi. Diffuse axonal injuries, the main pathophysiological mechanism of concussion, leads to disruption of communication between different brain areas. The resulting clinical symptoms may relate to several clinical domains (cognition, fatigue, anxiety disorders, headaches/migraines or vestibulo-ocular problems), all of which need to be assessed in a clinical screening during an evaluation for possible concussion...

Isolated cuneiform fractures are rare and account for only 1.7% of all midfoot fractures. Medial cuneiform fractures can be treated conservatively or surgically, with good clinical outcomes. However, nonunion is a rare complication of medial cuneiform fractures, and only a few cases have been reported in the literature. We report a case of a medial cuneiform fracture requiring surgical treatment that had a good clinical outcome. A 15-year-old boy presented to an orthopedic clinic with a complaint of pain in his right foot...

BACKGROUND: The relationship between graft maturity on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and return to sports (RTS) after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction is unclear. PURPOSE: To compare signal-to-noise quotient (SNQ) values and ACL graft T2* (gradient echo) values between patients who did RTS and those who did not RTS (NRTS) after ACL reconstruction and to evaluate the predictive value of T2* mapping for RTS after ACL reconstruction. STUDY DESIGN: Case-control study; Level of evidence, 3...

While there is a lack of research into abuse in elite dance, numerous allegations of emotional, sexual and physical abuse of dancers can be found anecdotally in the media, legal convictions and personal accounts. As more dancers speak out, the scale of the problem within preprofessional schools and professional companies is becoming apparent. Accordingly, effective safeguarding mechanisms for preventing, identifying and reporting abuse are urgently needed. This viewpoint is intended to raise health professionals' awareness of factors contributing to abusive practices found in dance environments and the potential clinical implications of abuse to dancers' health and well-being...

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to compare talent development athletes to community-level athletes in Australian Rules Football across various markers of healthy youth development. METHODS: Survey data were collected from 363 youth athletes (126 women, 232 men, 5 not reported; Mage=18.69 years, SDage=2.62 years, age range 16-25 years) playing Australian Rules Football at a talent development (recruited from Australian Football League Talent Pathway, n=220) or community (n=143) level...

OBJECTIVES: Shared decision-making (SDM) is a trending topic in athlete health care; however, little is known about its use in a sports context. This study aimed to measure knowledge and self-perceived practice of SDM among healthcare professionals working with athletes. This study evaluates SDM attitudes and preferences and explores how healthcare professionals perceive the factors influencing SDM. METHODS: A web-based cross-sectional survey with open-ended and closed-ended questions...

Sports participation confers many health benefits yet greatly increases injury risk. Long-term health outcomes in former athletes and transition to life after competitive sports are understudied. Ending a sport may pose physical and psychosocial challenges. The purpose was to determine the lived experiences of former competitive athletes and how their sports participation impacted their long-term health and well-being. Former college varsity athletes participated in semistructured interviews focusing on their experiences, including past and current health, the impact of injuries, activity, exercise, diet and transition to life after competitive sport...

Rehabilitative practice is often criticised for being non-individualised, monotonous and not well aligned with foundational principles that drive continued physiological adaptation(s). However, our understanding of neuromuscular physiology is rapidly increasing and the way we programme rehabilitation is improving. This viewpoint highlights some of the potential considerations around why the adaptations achieved during rehabilitation programmes may be suboptimal. We provide basic, clinician-focused discussion about potential confounding physiological factors, and put forward several exercise-based programming recommendations and novel approaches to consider in contemporary rehabilitative practice...

The purposes of this study were to quantify the physiological response to the initial two-week preseason period in elite male rugby league (RL) athletes, and to determine if a repeated bout effect (RBE) occurs. Eighteen RL players were monitored for the initial two-week preseason period. Blood samples were collected on days (D)1, D2, D4, D5, D8, D9, D11 and D12 to measure creatine kinase (CK). Neuromuscular power was assessed on D1, D5, D8 and D12. During field-based sessions, the external training load was quantified using global positioning system technology, whilst the internal load was quantified using the training impulse and the session rating of perceived exertion...