Early Sport Specialization in Elite Weightlifters: Weightlifting Injury Occurrence and Relevant Opinions.

ABSTRACT: Bush, CM, Wilhelm, AJ, Lavallee, ME, and Deitch, JR. Early sport specialization in elite weightlifters: weightlifting injury occurrence and relevant opinions. J Strength Cond Res 35(11): 3260-3264, 2021-Sports specialization has been associated with increased injury and burnout. This study sought to determine the age, rate of injury, influence to specialize, and opinions surrounding the impact of sports specialization in attainment of elite-level weightlifting status. A link to an anonymous survey was distributed to the top 20 weightlifters in each weight class (8 male and 7 female weight classes). The survey questioned athletes about both age and motivation to specialize, previous injuries and/or surgeries, and level of competition. Injuries and surgeries were compared between those who specialized at the Youth level (≤age 16), Junior level (ages 17-20), and nonspecialized weightlifters. One hundred forty-one athletes (47.0%) completed the survey. Sixteen subjects (11.3%) specialized at the Youth level, 18 (12.8%) specialized at the Junior level, and the remaining 107 (75.9%) did not specialize before age 21. There was a statistically significant difference in the occurrence of injury before age 21 between weightlifters specializing at the Youth level and those who did not specialize (Χ2(1) = 22.4, p < 0.0001). There were no statistically significant differences in serious injury after age 21 between groups. Weightlifters cited primarily themselves (45.4%) or coach (43.1%) as a driving influence to specialize. The majority of athletes (68.8%) felt that specializing during the Youth age group was not necessary to achieve elite status. Despite a relatively small sample size, injuries occurred more frequently in weightlifters specializing at younger ages, suggesting that risks associated with early sport specialization also apply to weightlifters. These risks should be considered before implementing an early specialization training regimen.

24-Week study on the use of collagen hydrolysate as a dietary supplement in athletes with activity-related joint pain.

BACKGROUND: Collagen hydrolysate is a nutritional supplement that has been shown to exert an anabolic effect on cartilage tissue. Its administration appears beneficial in patients with osteoarthritis. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of collagen hydrolysate on activity-related joint pain in athletes who are physically active and have no evidence of joint disease. DESIGN AND SETTING: A prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind study was conducted at Penn State University in University Park, Pennsylvania. Parameters including joint pain, mobility, and inflammation were evaluated with the use of a visual analogue scale during a 24-week study phase. STUDY PARTICIPANTS: Between September 2005 and June 2006, 147 subjects who competed on a varsity team or a club sport were recruited. Data from 97 of 147 subjects could be statistically evaluated. INTERVENTION: One hundred and forty-seven subjects (72 male, 75 female) were randomly assigned to two groups: a group (n = 73) receiving 25 mL of a liquid formulation that contained 10 g of collagen hydrolysate (CH-Alpha) and a group (n = 74) receiving a placebo, which consisted of 25 mL of liquid that contained xanthan. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary efficacy parameter was the change in the visual analogue scales from baseline during the study phase in relation to the parameters referring to pain, mobility, and inflammation. RESULTS: When data from all subjects (n = 97) were evaluated, six parameters showed statistically significant changes with the dietary supplement collagen hydrolysate (CH) compared with placebo: joint pain at rest, assessed by the physician (CH vs. placebo (-1.37 +/- 1.78 vs. -0.90 +/- 1.74 (p = 0.025)) and five parameters assessed by study participants: joint pain when walking (-1.11 +/- 1.98 vs. -0.46 +/- 1.63, p = 0.007), joint pain when standing (-0.97 +/- 1.92 vs. -0.43 +/- 1.74, p = 0.011), joint pain at rest (-0.81 +/- 1.77 vs. -0.39 +/- 1.56, p = 0.039), joint pain when carrying objects (-1.45 +/- 2.11 vs. -0.83 +/- 1.71, p = 0.014) and joint pain when lifting (-1.79 +/- 2.11 vs. -1.26 +/- 2.09, p = 0.018). When a subgroup analysis of subjects with knee arthralgia (n = 63) was performed, the difference between the effect of collagen hydrolysate vs. placebo was more pronounced. The parameter joint pain at rest, assessed by the physician, had a statistical significance level of p = 0.001 (-1.67 +/- 1.89 vs. -0.86 +/- 1.77), while the other five parameters based on the participants' assessments were also statistically significant: joint pain when walking (p = 0.003 (-1.38 +/- 2.12 vs. -0.54 +/- 1.65)), joint pain when standing (p = 0.015 (-1.17 +/- 2.06 vs. -0.50 +/- 1.68)), joint pain at rest with (p = 0.021 (-1.01 +/-1.92 vs. -0.47 +/- 1.63)), joint pain when running a straight line (p = 0.027 (-1.50 +/- 1.97 vs. -0.80 +/- 1.66)) and joint pain when changing direction (p = 0.026 (-1.87 +/- 2.18 vs. -1.20 +/- 2.10)). CONCLUSION: This was the first clinical trial of 24-weeks duration to show improvement of joint pain in athletes who were treated with the dietary supplement collagen hydrolysate. The results of this study have implications for the use of collagen hydrolysate to support joint health and possibly reduce the risk of joint deterioration in a high-risk group. Despite the study's size and limitations, the results suggest that athletes consuming collagen hydrolysate can reduce parameters (such as pain) that have a negative impact on athletic performance. Future studies are needed to support these findings.

Distal biceps tendon repair using the toggle loc with zip loop.

This article introduces the Toggle Loc with Zip Loop as a fixation technique for a single-incision distal biceps tendon repair. The ease with which the Toggle Loc can be attached to the ruptured tendon is a distinct advantage of this technique. Because the suture loops (Zip Loop) can be shortened after the tendon is sutured over it, the surgeon can attach the implant to the tendon away from the wound. The implant can then be inserted and seated on the dorsal cortex of the radius prior to final tendon reinsertion and tensioning of the repair. This allows for a technically easier reinsertion while maintaining appropriate elbow flexion and rotation.

Injury risk in professional basketball players: a comparison of Women's National Basketball Association and National Basketball Association athletes.

BACKGROUND: Gender-based differences in injury rates have been reported in scholastic and collegiate basketball. The purpose of this study was to retrospectively compare injury rates in women's and men's professional basketball. HYPOTHESIS: Female professional basketball players are injured at a higher rate than are men. STUDY DESIGN: Cohort study (prevalence); Level of evidence, 2. METHODS: Women's National Basketball Association and National Basketball Association injury data were retrospectively reviewed for 6 full seasons. The frequency of all injuries and the rate of game-related injuries were calculated. RESULTS: Complete player profiles were obtained on 702 National Basketball Association athletes and 443 Women's National Basketball Association athletes who competed in their respective leagues during the data collection period. Total game exposures totaled 70,420 (National Basketball Association) and 22,980 (Women's National Basketball Association). Women's National Basketball Association athletes had a higher overall game-related injury rate (24.9 per 1000 athlete exposures; 95% confidence interval, 22.9-26.9; P < .05) when compared with National Basketball Association athletes (19.3 per 1000 athlete exposures; 95% confidence interval, 18.3-20.4) and sustained a higher rate of lower extremity injuries (14.6 per 1000 athlete exposures; 95% confidence interval, 13.1-16.2; P < .05) than seen in the National Basketball Association (11.6 per 1000 athlete exposures; 95% confidence interval, 10.8-12.4). The lower extremity was the most commonly injured body area (65%), and lateral ankle sprain (13.7%) was the most common diagnosis in both leagues. The incidence of game-related knee injury was higher in Women's National Basketball Association players. The incidence of anterior cruciate ligament injury in the National Basketball Association (n = 22, 0.8%) and Women's National Basketball Association (n = 14, 0.9%) accounted for 0.8% of the 4446 injuries reported. CONCLUSION: The lower extremity is the most frequently injured body area in both leagues, and Women's National Basketball Association athletes are more susceptible than are National Basketball Association athletes. There were, however, few statistical differences in the actual injuries occurring between the 2 leagues.