Reactive postural responses predict risk for acute musculoskeletal injury in collegiate athletes.

Identifying risk factors for musculoskeletal injury is critical to maintain the health and safety of athletes. While current tests consider isolated assessments of function or subjective ratings, objective tests of reactive postural responses, especially when in cognitively demanding scenarios, may better identify risk of musculoskeletal injury than traditional tests alone. OBJECTIVES: Examine if objective assessments of reactive postural responses, quantified using wearable inertial measurement units, are associated with the risk for acute lower extremity musculoskeletal injuries in collegiate athletes. DESIGN: Prospective survival analysis. METHODS: 191 Division I National Collegiate Athletic Association athletes completed an instrumented version of a modified Push and Release (I-mP&R) test at the beginning of their competitive season. The I-mP&R was performed with eyes closed under single- and dual-task (concurrent cognitive task) conditions. Inertial measurement units recorded acceleration and angular velocity data that was used to calculate time-to-stability. Acute lower extremity musculoskeletal injuries were tracked from first team activity for six months. Cox proportional hazard models were used to determine if longer times to stability were associated with faster time to injury. RESULTS: Longer time-to-stability was associated with increased risk of injury; every 250 ms increase in dual-task median time-to-stability was associated with a 36% increased risk of acute, lower-extremity musculoskeletal injury. CONCLUSIONS: Tests of reactive balance, particularly under dual-task conditions, may be able to identify athletes most at risk of acute lower extremity musculoskeletal injury. Clinically-feasible, instrumented tests of reactive should be considered in assessments for prediction and mitigation of musculoskeletal injury in collegiate athletes.

Parenting Challenges and Opportunities among Families Living in Poverty

Poverty-related stressors have been found to impact parenting behaviors which can result in adverse outcomes for children. The current qualitative study focused on understanding the challenges of caregivers (N = 70) living in poverty. The sample was diverse and included mothers, fathers, and grandparents raising grandchildren. Stories of caregivers were gathered to improve the understanding of families living in poverty in an effort to work towards changing how our world supports families that are vulnerable. Results indicate that families experiencing poverty and related risk factors experience challenges in the realm of child safety, education, and racism/prejudice. Families also discussed ways to improve their environment which included increased financial resources, increased access to high-quality healthcare and childcare, and positive environmental change. Note that the current study outlines the complexity of parenting in poverty and that associated challenges are intertwined. Recommendations are made to address systemic barriers at the individual and community level in an effort to better support caregivers experiencing adversity and parenting in the 21st century.

The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Adolescent Emotional, Social, and Academic Adjustment.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a strong impact on adolescents worldwide. This special issue aimed to increase our understanding of the factors that explain interindividual differences in how adolescents are affected by the pandemic. The special issue includes 21 empirical articles from four continents on the role of the pandemic in changes in emotional, social, and academic adjustment during adolescence. The studies demonstrate that many adolescents experienced increased depressive symptoms, negative affect, and loneliness, and lower academic adjustment during the pandemic, particularly those that were already at risk before the pandemic. At the same time, many adolescents had individual, family, and community resources that made them resilient and helped them to continue to function well despite the adverse circumstances.