Brachymetatarsia as a Source of Pain in a US Military Trainee.

A 19-year-old female US Army trainee presented to a direct-access physical therapy clinic reporting 1 week of bilateral dorsal foot pain that was worse on the right than the left side. Due to swelling, focal tenderness, and pain, the physical therapist ordered radiographs to evaluate for a potential stress fracture. The radiographs revealed that the fourth metatarsals were notably shorter than the others, but were negative for other pathology. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2018;48(11):904. doi:10.2519/jospt.2018.7522.

Injury Surveillance and Reporting for Trainees with Bone Stress Injury: Current Practices and Recommendations.

Background: Musculoskeletal injuries, including lower extremity bone stress injuries (BSI) significantly impact initial entry training (IET) in the U.S. Army due to limited duty days, trainee attrition, early medical discharge, and related financial costs. Factors complicating trainee BSI surveillance include inconsistent BSI coding practices, attrition documentation as both administrative separations and medical discharges and the inability to code for BSI grade or severity when using International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems 10th revision (ICD-10) codes. Methods: A multidisciplinary expert panel developed policy guidance to enhance clinical and administrative management of BSI, following extensive analysis of current, peer-reviewed literature. Policy guidance incorporates leading practices concerning clinical BSI management, including imaging procedures, recommended notifications, early intervention, and ICD-10 diagnostic coding procedures. Policy guidance also standardizes BSI grading criteria for magnetic resonance imaging and skeletal scintigraphy (bone scan). Findings: Multidisciplinary expert opinion indicates inconsistent BSI diagnosis and management across IET due to variability in trainee BSI grading, documentation, and coding practices. Injury surveillance conducted by the United States Army Medical Command (USAMEDCOM) will benefit from routine, standardized musculoskeletal injury data base searches by BSI severity/grade and anatomical location upon implementation of BSI policy guidance. Discussion: Effective injury surveillance is critical for determining trainee BSI incidence and attrition, developing anticipated return to duty (RTD) timelines, and assessing long-term outcomes. BSI RTD timelines should account for gender, BSI grade/severity, anatomical location, and type of intervention. Well-defined RTD timelines would benefit administrative decision-making purposes, including whether to grant convalescent leave or enroll in the Warrior Training and Rehabilitation Program during BSI recovery. Enhanced management procedures may improve initial enlistment completion rates for trainees sustaining at least one BSI who eventually complete IET.

DIAGNOSTIC IMAGING IN A DIRECT-ACCESS SPORTS PHYSICAL THERAPY CLINIC: A 2-YEAR RETROSPECTIVE PRACTICE ANALYSIS.

BACKGROUND: While advanced diagnostic imaging is a large contributor to the growth in health care costs, direct-access to physical therapy is associated with decreased rates of diagnostic imaging. No study has systematically evaluated with evidence-based criteria the appropriateness of advanced diagnostic imaging, including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), when ordered by physical therapists. The primary purpose of this study was to describe the appropriateness of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or magnetic resonance arthrogram (MRA) exams ordered by physical therapists in a direct-access sports physical therapy clinic. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective observational study of practice. HYPOTHESIS: Greater than 80% of advanced diagnostic imaging orders would have an American College of Radiology (ACR) Appropriateness Criteria rating of greater than 6, indicating an imaging order that is usually appropriate. METHODS: A 2-year retrospective analysis identified 108 MRI/MRA examination orders from four physical therapists. A board-certified radiologist determined the appropriateness of each order based on ACR appropriateness criteria. The principal investigator and co-investigator radiologist assessed agreement between the clinical diagnosis and MRI/surgical findings. RESULTS: Knee (31%) and shoulder (25%) injuries were the most common. Overall, 55% of injuries were acute. The mean ACR rating was 7.7; scores from six to nine have been considered appropriate orders and higher ratings are better. The percentage of orders complying with ACR appropriateness criteria was 83.2%. Physical therapist's clinical diagnosis was confirmed by MRI/MRA findings in 64.8% of cases and was confirmed by surgical findings in 90% of cases. CONCLUSIONS: Physical therapists providing musculoskeletal primary care in a direct-access sports physical therapy clinic appropriately ordered advanced diagnostic imaging in over 80% of cases. Future research should prospectively compare physical therapist appropriateness and utilization to other groups of providers and explore the effects of physical therapist imaging privileging on outcomes. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Diagnosis, Level 3.

Osteoid Osteoma of the Femoral Neck in Athletes: Two Case Reports Differentiating From Femoral Neck Stress Injuries.

The diagnosis of an intra-articular osteoid osteoma can be a challenging and lengthy process, with reports of delayed diagnosis of greater than 2 years. In the young, athletic patient with an atraumatic onset of groin pain, an overuse injury or muscle strain is the most likely etiology. However, an overuse injury of femoral neck stress fracture must be identified because of the potentially disastrous outcome of fracture completion. The similar clinical presentation of a femoral neck stress fracture and intra-articular osteoid osteoma of the femoral neck can further delay the diagnosis of the osteoid osteoma. In a patient with these differential diagnoses that do not improve with a period of nonweightbearing activity, a more intensive workup must ensue. The purpose of this case report is to describe the initial presentations, subsequent follow-up, and imaging findings leading to the diagnosis of osteoid osteoma as well as to differentiate an osteoid osteoma from femoral neck stress injuries.

Treatment of hamstring strain in a collegiate pole-vaulter integrating dry needling with an eccentric training program: a resident's case report.

BACKGROUND: Hamstring strain injuries are among the most common injuries seen in sports. Management is made difficult by the high recurrence rates. Typical time to return to sport varies but can be prolonged with recurrence. Eccentric strength deficits remain post-injury, contributing to reinjury. Eccentric training has shown to be an effective method at prevention of hamstring injury in multiple systematic reviews and prospective RCTs but limited prospective rehabilitation literature. Functional dry needling is a technique that has been reported to be beneficial in the management of pain and dysfunction after muscle strains, but there is limited published literature on its effects on rehabilitation or recurrence of injury. PURPOSE: The purpose of this case report is to present the management and outcomes of a patient with hamstring strain, treated with functional dry needling and eccentric exercise. CASE DESCRIPTION: The subject was an 18-year-old collegiate pole-vaulter who presented to physical therapy with an acute hamstring strain and history of multiple strains on uninvolved extremity. He was treated in Physical Therapy three times per week for 3 weeks with progressive eccentric training and 3 sessions of functional dry needling. OUTCOMES: By day 12, his eccentric strength on the involved extremity was greater than the uninvolved extremity and he reported clinically meaningful improvement in outcome scores. By Day 20, he was able to return to full sports participation without pain or lingering strength deficits. DISCUSSION: The patient in this case report was able to return to sport within 20 days and without recurrence. He demonstrated significant decreases in pain and dysfunction with dry needling. He had greater strength on the injured extremity compared to contra-lateral previously injured extremity. CONCLUSIONS: This case illustrates the use of functional dry needling and eccentric exercise leading to a favorable outcome in a patient with hamstring strain. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level 4.