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Background: There is growing concern among sports medicine professionals regarding the increasing prevalence of ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) surgery in baseball players. At this time, it is unclear whether collegiate head baseball coaches possess adequate knowledge of UCL injuries. Purpose/Hypothesis: The purpose of this study was to assess the knowledge and perceptions of UCL injury among National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) head baseball coaches. It was hypothesized that NCAA head baseball coaches would demonstrate misconceptions and knowledge disparities regarding UCL injury. Study Design: Cross-sectional study. Methods: An online 35-question survey was designed to assess NCAA head baseball coaches' knowledge of UCL injury. The survey included questions related to participant characteristics, UCL injury, biometric performance and pitching variables, throwing fatigue, surgical variables/performance outcomes, and collegiate athlete recruitment. A total of 788 NCAA head baseball coaches were asked to participate. Responses were analyzed and reported using descriptive statistics where appropriate. Statistical comparisons and contrasts were made using chi-square and Fisher exact tests. Results: A total of 103 NCAA head baseball coaches participated in the survey, representing a 13.1% response rate. Only 31% of respondents could correctly identify all UCL injury symptoms, and 93% recommended <8 weeks off from overhead throwing during the off-season. Previous elbow injury observation was associated with UCL symptom identification (χ2 = 10.614; P = .005). Regular access to an athletic trainer (P = .015) and regular access to a strength and conditioning coach (P = .004) were both associated with NCAA division status, with Division I programs having the most access. Neither sports medicine physician (P = .656) nor athletic trainer (P = .611) access was associated with the geographic location of the baseball program; however, strength and conditioning coach access was associated with geographic location (χ2 = 6.696; P = .010). Conclusion: This study demonstrates that limited UCL injury knowledge and various misconceptions exist among NCAA baseball head coaches. The majority of responding coaches recommended an amount of time off from overhead throwing during the off-season that may be inadequate and were unable to identify all symptoms associated with UCL injury, representing the most concerning findings of the present study.
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Introduction Neck pain is a common and debilitating ailment that places a significant burden on the healthcare system. No practical protocols have been published utilizing a portable, commercially available, and affordable device that significantly reduces acute and chronic neck pain. Methods Forty-six young adults with or without mild-to-moderate neck pain completed a six-week neck stretching and strengthening protocol with a portable cervical stretching and strengthening device. The primary outcome was changes to pericervical muscle endurance. Secondary outcomes were changes to cervical range of motion (ROM), neck length, circumference, and subjective pain, flexibility, and strength. Measurements were obtained on study days 0, 21, and 42. Results A significant increase in pericervical muscle endurance was demonstrated across all planes of cervical motion, ranging from 84% to 105%. Cervical ROM improved across all planes of motion but was only significant in right-side bending (5.3°), left rotation (6.2°), and right rotation (7.8°). Subjective pain evaluated via the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) saw statistically significant improvement as well (1.33 to 0.51). Subjective assessment of participant cervical pain, strength, and flexibility improved 61.3%, 95.7%, and 97.8%, respectively. Conclusions A six-week pericervical muscle stretching and strengthening program increased pericervical endurance and ROM in young adults. Decreased cervical pain was seen using the NRS and modified pain scale across most participants.
