Impact of ankylosing spondylitis on foot health and quality of life: an observational case-control study.

Background: Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a chronic, inflammatory, and autoimmune disease. This condition primarily affects the axial skeleton and presents direct foot involvement, such as Achilles enthesitis or plantar fascia involvement. Objective: This study aimed to investigate the impact of foot health on the quality of life of individuals with AS compared to a control group without AS. Materials and methods: A sample of 112 subjects was recruited, with a mean age of 46.80 ± 10.49 years, divided into two groups: 56 individuals with AS (cases) and 56 individuals without AS (controls). Demographic data were collected, and the scores obtained in the Foot Health Status Questionnaire domains were recorded. Results: Of the participants, 27.79% (N = 30) were men and 73.21% (N = 82) were women. The mean age in the group was 46.80 ± 10.49. Significant differences (p < 0.05) were found in the domains of foot function, foot pain, footwear, overall foot health, general health-related physical activity, and social capacity between the AS group and the control group. Conclusion: Individuals with AS exhibited a decreased quality of life, as indicated by their Foot Health Status Questionnaire scores.

Relative Age Effect Analysis in the History of the Ballon d'Or (1956-2023).

Ballon d'Or is the most important individual award in football, and is a significant measure of excellence. From our knowledge, this is the first study that explored the relative age effect (RAE) throughout the history of the Ballon d'Or. A total of 1899 football players nominated for the award from the first edition in 1956 to the most recent edition (2023) were analyzed. To assess the RAE, the birthdate distributions were categorized into four trimesters. The comparison involved correcting for the uniform distribution using chi-square analysis, with Cramer's V serving as a measure of effect size. Standardized residuals were computed to identify quarters that exhibited significant deviation from the expected values. Odds Ratio and 95% confidence intervals were used to identify discrepancies between trimesters. The results indicated a pronounced presence of an RAE at the global level. However, the longitudinal analysis revealed variations in the behavior of the RAE over time. In the initial decades, there is an overrepresentation of players born in the last months of the year. Subsequently, there is no discernible RAE. In the most recent decades, there has been a clear resurgence of RAE, with an overrepresentation of players born in the first quarters of the year.

Influence of quality of life related to perceived foot health between in a rural an urban population: A case-control research.

Foot problems are very common in the community. Studies indicate that between 18% and 63% of people have foot pain or stiffness and that foot problems have a large impact on people's functional decline and a significant detrimental impact on measures of quality of life related to health. The general objective of this research was to compare foot health in people from the rural population compared to people from the urban population and its relationship with quality of life. A case-control descriptive study was developed with a sample of 304 patients, 152 patients from the rural population and 152 patients from the urban population. Quality of life was measured through the SF-36 Health Questionnaire in its Spanish version. The rural population group had a mean age of 46.67 ± 13.69 and the urban population group 49.02 ± 18.29. Regarding the score of the lowest levels of quality of life related to foot problems, the rural population group compared to the urban population group showed: for body pain (52.21 ± 30.71 vs. 67.80 ± 25.28, p < 0.001); and for mental health (69.58 ± 18.98 vs. 64.60 ± 14.88, p < 0.006). Differences between groups were analysed using Student's t-test for independent samples, which showed statistical significance (p < 0.05). This research offers evidence that the rural population presents better levels of mental health and lower levels of bodily pain in the domains of the SF-36 Health Questionnaire comparing with the urban population.

Prevalence of hip femoroacetabular impingement deformities in high-level (La Liga) male professional football players.

BACKGROUND: Femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) is considered one of the main causes of hip osteoarthritis in young adults, especially in athletes. In recent years, morphological changes in FAI in the hip have been linked to early and intense sports participation, but studying top-level athlete samples is not easy. This paper presents the prevalence of FAI radiological markers in 120 active white male professional football players in the Spanish First Division League (La Liga) and compares the morphological changes with those of a control group of healthy individuals without significant sport activity. METHODS: The precontract medical evaluation hip X-rays of 120 white male professional football players from four different First Division Spanish football teams were prospectively filed and retrospectively reviewed by a dedicated skeletal radiologist. The footballers' hip X-rays were compared with those of a control group of 80 healthy individuals (age-sex matched) without significant sport activity (obtained from routine work medical checks). RESULTS: The femoral head-neck deformity associated with the Cam type of femoroacetabular impingement was observed in 61.6% of professional football players and only in 11.6% of the control group (p <0.01). The presence of "herniation pit" (11.6%) and os acetabuli (13.3%) also reached statistical significance in the professional football players group. In the other analyzed parameters, no statistically significant differences between the groups were observed. CONCLUSIONS: White professional top-level football players have an increased incidence of abnormal lateral epiphyseal extension ("pistol grip deformity"), os acetabuli and herniation pits.

Concurrent Validity and Reliability of Two Portable Powermeters (Power2Max vs. PowerTap) to Measure Different Types of Efforts in Cycling.

The purpose was to assess the concurrent validity and reliability of two portable powermeters (PowerTap vs. Power2Max) in different types of cycling efforts. Ten cyclists performed two submaximal, one incremental maximal and two supramaximal sprint tests on an ergometer, while pedaling power and cadence were registered by both powermeters and a cadence sensor (GarminGSC10). During the submaximal and incremental maximal tests, significant correlations were found for power and cadence data (r = 0.992-0.997 and 0.996-0.998, respectively, p < 0.001), with a slight power underestimation by PowerTap (0.7-1.8%, p < 0.01) and a high reliability of both powermeters (p < 0.001) for measurement of power (ICC = 0.926 and 0.936, respectively) and cadence (ICC = 0.969 and 0.970, respectively). However, during the supramaximal sprint test, their agreement to measure power and cadence was weak (r = 0.850 and -0.253, p < 0.05) due to the low reliability of the cadence measurements (ICC between 0.496 and 0.736, and 0.574 and 0.664, respectively; p < 0.05) in contrast to the high reliability of the cadence sensor (ICC = 0.987-0.994). In conclusion, both powermeters are valid and reliable for measuring power and cadence during continuous cycling efforts (~100-450 W), but questionable during sprint efforts (>500 W), where they are affected by the gear ratio used (PowerTap) and by their low accuracy in cadence recording (PowerTap and Power2Max).

Los Músculos Isquiosurales y su Capacidad Profiláctica sobre la Translación Tibial Anterior en Lesión de Ligamento Cruzado Anterior: Una Revisión Sistemática / The Hamstrings Muscles and their Prophylactic Capacity on Anterior Tibial Translation in Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury: A Systematic Review

La ruptura de ligamento cruzado anterior (LCA) es la lesión de rodilla más común que se trata de una reconstruc- ción quirúrgica. El objetivo principal de esta revisión fue analizar la importancia de la función de los músculos isquiosurales como factor de riesgo de posibles lesiones de LCA. Se llevó a cabo siguiendo las normas Preferred Reported Item for Systematic Reviews and Meta- analyses (PRISMA). La fuente de la recopilación de datos fue la consulta directa de las bases de datos Pubmed, Sportdiscus, Web of Science y Scopus. Para la recuperación documental, se utilizaron varias palabras clave y se evaluó la calidad de los estudios que fueron seleccionados mediante la escala PEDro. Los déficits de la función muscular en los músculos isquiosurales se han relacionado con una mayor translación tibial anterior y, como consecuencia, un incremento del estrés tensional sobre el LCA entre los 10° y 45° de flexión de rodilla. Una co-activación de los músculos isquiosurales con el músculo cuádriceps femoral puede ser de gran ayuda para reducir los factores de riesgo de la lesión LCA.

SUMMARY: Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture is the most common knee injury to undergo surgery in the sports setting. The main objective of this review was to analyze the importance of hamstring function as a risk factor for potential ACL injury. It was conducted following the Preferred Reported Item for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. The source of data collection was direct consultation of the Pubmed, Sportdiscus, Web of Science and Scopus databases. For documentary retrieval, several key words were used and the quality of the studies that were selected was assessed using the PEDro scale. Muscle function deficits in the hamstrings have been related to increased anterior tibial translation and, as a consequence, increased tensional stress on the ACL between 10° and 45° of knee flexion. A co-activation of the hamstrings with the quadriceps may be helpful in reducing the risk factors for ACL injury.

Skateboarding Injuries in Spain: A Web-Based Survey Approach.

BACKGROUND: The inclusion of skateboarding in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games reinforces this activity as a sport. As the number of skateboarders around the world and the difficulty of skateboarding maneuvers continue to increase, the number of skateboarding injuries may also rise. Thus, there is a need for more comprehensive investigations into the practice habits and injuries of skateboarders. PURPOSE: To describe the sports habits and skateboarding injuries of a sample of skateboarders in Spain. STUDY DESIGN: Descriptive epidemiology study. METHODS: A web-based survey was shared among skateboarders in Spain. The survey collected data related to sports habits, skateboarding practice habits, and injury history. Comparisons between subgroups of sex, age, and experience were also conducted. RESULTS: The survey was completed by 197 participants (89.3% male) with a mean age of 24.4 ± 7.1 years and a mean experience of 9.7 ± 7.2 years. Most respondents (87.8%) reported not participating in any type of skateboarding-specific physical training program. Only 27.4% took part in skateboarding competitions, with a larger number of respondents younger than 18 years participating in competitive events. The mean number of sessions per week was 3.3 ± 1.7, and the mean length of sessions was 3.3 ± 1.5 hours. The majority of participants (87.8%) reported having suffered injuries (n = 323) as a result of skateboarding, mainly affecting the lower limbs (69.7%). The most common injury type was a ligament sprain (39.6%), especially of the ankle (39.3%). This injury was also reported as the most likely to recur (70.1%). A large number of injuries (54.2%) were considered severe (ie, >21 days to recover). Most injuries occurred while skateboarding gaps or stairs, including any type of a jump that involved a difference in height between the take-off and landing surfaces (25.7%). Female participants accounted for a larger number of ligament sprains than expected, and experienced skateboarders were more likely to suffer more severe injuries and head/trunk injuries. CONCLUSION: Respondents to this survey were mainly young male adults who practiced skateboarding recreationally. Respondents of different sexes, ages, and experiences demonstrated different habits and injury patterns. The greater number of severe injuries highlights the need for injury surveillance in skateboarding to inform better prevention and rehabilitation practices.

A 47-Year Comparison of Lower Body Muscular Power in Spanish Boys: A Short Report.

Much of the evidence examining temporal trends in fitness among youth has found a decrease in measures of muscular strength and muscular power over recent decades. The aim of this study was to examine trends in lower body muscular power in Spanish boys over 47 years. In 1969 140 boys (10-11 years; body mass index = 19.24, SD = 2.91 kg/m2) and in 2016, 113 boys (10-11 years; body mass index = 19.20, SD = 3.15 kg/m2) were recruited. Lower body power was assessed using the vertical jump (VJ) and standing long jump (SLJ) tests. Significant differences and a large effect size were shown between groups in the SLJ (p = 0.001; d = 0.94) and the VJ (p = 0.001; d = 0.66). SLJ data in 1969 were higher (1.52 m, SD = 0.19) when compared to the 2016 data (1.34 m, SD = 0.18). The VJ performance of the 1969 sample was also higher (25.95 cm; SD = 6.58) than the 2016 sample (21.56 cm; SD = 4.72). SLJ and VJ performance of the 2016 group decreased 11.8% and 16.9%, respectively. There were no significant differences between groups in body mass index. The results indicate a secular decline in lower body muscular power in 10-11-year-old Spanish boys with no significant changes in body mass index over the 47-year study period.

A new approach to study the relative age effect with the use of additive logistic regression models: A case of study of FIFA football tournaments (1908-2012).

The relative age effect plays an important role in the pursuit of excellence, providing advantage to athletes born at the beginning of the year or near the cut-off date. This phenomenon has been observed in areas such as sports, education or business. Traditionally, the chi-square test has been used to analyze whether there are statistically significant differences in the distribution of births in each of the four quarters of the year. However, this approach is limited, focusing only on the analysis of the response variable, without taking into account the effect of a set of predictive variables. In this paper a new approach is proposed to study the relative age effect with the use of a logistic regression additive model. The new method has been evaluated with a sample of 21,639 players involved in football tournaments organized by the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) between 1908 and 2012. New conclusions have been established that the relative age effect exists regarding player age and the year of the competition in male FIFA competitions and its effect is dynamic and complex.

Quadriceps tendon autograft and platelet rich plasma injection to treat chronic Achilles tears-a minimum two-year follow-up.

BACKGROUND: The possibility of using a bone-tendon quadriceps tendon graft and platelet rich plasma (PRP) injection to enhance healing capability, to solve the defect created by stump retraction in chronic Achilles tendon ruptures was studied in a series of 8 patients. METHODS: A series of 8 patients studied prospectively and followed for more than 24 months is presented. Results were evaluated using the American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) score, and evaluating pain, level of activity, footwear restrictions, and satisfaction. Statistical analysis was done by the sign test for matched pairs and Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Alpha error was set at 0.05. RESULTS: Preoperatively, patients showed an average AOFAS score of 77.25 (range, 67-88). After surgery, AOFAS score showed a marked improvement in all the cases, with an average of 95.6 (range, 87-100). Improvement in AOFAS score results was statistically significant, both for sign test for matched pairs (P=0.008) and for Wilcoxon signed-rank test (P=0.012). All of the patients were satisfied with the results of the procedure, and would undergo it again. CONCLUSIONS: Autologous quadriceps tendon graft (in bone-tendon configuration) has proved as a simple technique that offers good results to patients with tissue defects in the Achilles tendon.

Measuring home advantage in Spanish handball.

Since Pollard established the system for analysing home advantage in 1986, it has been demonstrated and quantified in various sports, including many team sports. This study aims to assess whether home advantage exists in handball, using a sample of more than 19,000 Spanish handball league games. Results of the games played at home and away, the sex of the players, and the levels of the competition were included as variables. In Spanish handball, there was a home advantage of 61%, which means, on average, the team playing at home wins 61% of points available. This value varies according to sex and according to competition level, increasing as competition level decreases and season rank improves.