Comparative analysis of patellar tendon, achilles tendon and plantar fascia structure in indoor and outdoor football players: a novel cross-sectional pilot study.

Different sport modalities were associate with tendon adaptation or even tendon disturbances, such as volleyball, soccer or basketball. Purpose: the aim of the present study was to determine de difference between indoor and outdoor football players on patellar tendon (PT), Achilles tendon (AT), plantar fascia (FP) and Hoffa's fat pad thickness assessed with ultrasound imaging (USI). A cross-sectional study was developed with a total sample of 30 soccer players divided in two groups: outdoor group (n = 15) and indoor group (n = 15). The thickness of PT, AT, PF and Hoffa's fat pad has been assessed with USI. Hoffa's fat pad reported significant differences for the left side between groups (P = 0.026). The rest of variables did not show any significant difference (P < 0.05). The ultrasonography assessment of the thickness of the PT, AT and PF did not show differences between outdoor and indoor football players. Hoffa's fat pad resulted showed a significant decrease for outdoor soccer players with respect futsal players. Thus, it can be considered that the load stimuli received in both soccer players were not enough to produce structural adaptations in PT, AT and PF tissues.

Is ankle taping effective to limit the ankle dorsiflexion in a single-training session? An observational study in semi-professional basketball players

ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: Ankle taping (AT) is effective in preventing ankle sprain injuries in most common sports and is employed in rehabilitation and prevention sports. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of AT to restricting excessive frontal plane ankle movements in semi-professional basketball players throughout the training session. DESIGN AND SETTING: A cross-sectional study was performed at the Universidad Europea de Madrid. METHODS: Forty male and female semi-professional basketball players were divided into two groups. The ankle dorsiflexion range of motion (ROM) and interlimb asymmetries in a weight-bearing lunge position were evaluated at four time points: 1) with no tape, 2) before practice, at 30 min of practice, and 3) immediately after practice. RESULTS: In male basketball players, no differences were observed in the right and left ankles between the baseline and 30 min and between baseline and 90 min of assessment. In female athletes, significant differences were reported between baseline and pre-training assessments for the right ankle and also significant differences between baseline and 90 min in both ankles. CONCLUSIONS: Ankle taping effectively decreased the ankle dorsiflexion ROM in male and female basketball players immediately after application. However, ROM restriction was very low after 30 and 90 min, as assessed in a single basketball practice. Therefore, the classic taping method should be revised to develop new prophylactic approaches, such as the implementation of semi-rigid bracing techniques or the addition of active stripes during training or game pauses.

Glenohumeral internal rotation deficit in general population with shoulder pain: A descriptive observational study.

Glenohumeral internal rotation deficit (GIRD) is one of the most important factors influencing injury risk in the arm of overhead athletes. Some studies have shown that the GIRD of athletes with shoulder pain was higher than those without shoulder pain, establishing a relation between shoulder pain and GIRD. However, there are no studies that relate to GIRD and shoulder pain or the risk factors that affect GIRD in the population with this ailment. This study aimed to: determine if GIRD could be found clinically and between which values it oscillates in patients with shoulder pain, and explore if there are any potential associations between GIRD and some sociodemographic data, and orthopedic or radiological findings. A descriptive observational study design was adopted to determine if GIRD could be found clinically in patients with shoulder pain and to gain further evidence in the potential associations between GIRD and sociodemographic data, and orthopedic or radiological findings. All those patients without exclusion criteria between October 1,2020 and March 31,2021 were included. Exclusion criteria consisted of being under 18 years old but younger than 80 years old, showing shoulder pain in both shoulders and having a joint prosthesis in at least one of the 2 shoulders, tumor, or infection. A total of 67 patients aged between 25 and 75 years (52.7 ±â€…11.8 years, 36 male and 31 female). More than 82% of patients with shoulder pain showed a GIRD higher than 20º. The mean GIRD was 37.6 ±â€…17.09º. The 95th percentile was 66.22º. From sociodemographic data could be extracted that: patients who have children showed a lower GIRD, patients with right shoulder pain, or whose dominance coincided with a painful shoulder showed a higher GIRD. The orthopedic findings revealed that patients with a positive Jobe test showed a lower GIRD. The linear model considering both sociodemographic and orthopedic findings showed that GIRD was reduced by having children and by BMI. GIRD shows a high incidence in patients with shoulder pain. The descendant, BMI, and positive Jobe test were negatively associated with the GIRD.

Treatment of glenohumeral internal rotation deficit in the general population with shoulder pain: An open single-arm clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Maladaptation can provoke important alterations in the arthrokinematics such as an internal rotation reduction in the dominant shoulder compared with the nondominant shoulder known as glenohumeral internal rotation deficit (GIRD). Though the number of studies investigating GIRD in athletic population, there are not studies reporting the efficacy of the GIRD treatment in the nonathlete population, a kind of study required to improve our understanding of patient care with this pathology. This study aimed to describe the efficacy of the GIRD treatment in nonathlete population with shoulder pain. METHODS: An open single-arm trial with 35 patients was adopted for evaluating the efficacy of GIRD treatment in patients with shoulder pain. All patients with shoulder pain who attended the consultation, accepted, and agreed to participate in the study between October 2020 and March 2021 were included. A treatment sequence including joint manual therapy techniques and soft tissue release techniques was applied in the consultation. Then, patients were instructed to adapt the daily active biological stimulus at home. The IR before (IR0) and after (IR1) the treatment was considered the outcome measure. The GIRD was calculated as the difference between the IR of the non-painful shoulder and the IR of the painful shoulder before (GIRD0) and after treatment (GIRD1). A paired Student t test was used to compare the GIRD of each patient before and after the treatment. RESULTS: Treatment of the patients significantly increased the IR of the painful shoulder in all the patients (P-value < .0001) So, the mean IR0 was 26.09 ± 14.46º (23.64-28.53), and after the treatment the mean IR1 was 67.98 ± 15.03º (65.48-70.52). The mean difference after the treatment (IR1-IR0) was 41.89 ± 14.74º (39.4-44.39). The treatment also significantly reduced GIRD (P-value < .0001). So, the mean GIRD0 was 42.95 ± 16.26º (40.2-45.7), and after the treatment the mean GIRD1 was -1.05 ± 17.18º (-3.96 to 1.85). CONCLUSIONS: The treatment administrated in this study significantly increased the internal rotation of the treated and painful shoulder and reduced the GIRD from the first consultation. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level 3.

Is ankle taping effective to limit the ankle dorsiflexion in a single-training session? An observational study in semi-professional basketball players.

BACKGROUND: Ankle taping (AT) is effective in preventing ankle sprain injuries in most common sports and is employed in rehabilitation and prevention sports. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of AT to restricting excessive frontal plane ankle movements in semi-professional basketball players throughout the training session. DESIGN AND SETTING: A cross-sectional study was performed at the Universidad Europea de Madrid. METHODS: Forty male and female semi-professional basketball players were divided into two groups. The ankle dorsiflexion range of motion (ROM) and interlimb asymmetries in a weight-bearing lunge position were evaluated at four time points: 1) with no tape, 2) before practice, at 30 min of practice, and 3) immediately after practice. RESULTS: In male basketball players, no differences were observed in the right and left ankles between the baseline and 30 min and between baseline and 90 min of assessment. In female athletes, significant differences were reported between baseline and pre-training assessments for the right ankle and also significant differences between baseline and 90 min in both ankles. CONCLUSIONS: Ankle taping effectively decreased the ankle dorsiflexion ROM in male and female basketball players immediately after application. However, ROM restriction was very low after 30 and 90 min, as assessed in a single basketball practice. Therefore, the classic taping method should be revised to develop new prophylactic approaches, such as the implementation of semi-rigid bracing techniques or the addition of active stripes during training or game pauses.

Features of Extrinsic Plantar Muscles in Patients with Plantar Fasciitis by Ultrasound Imaging: A Retrospective Case Control Research.

The present study aimed to compare by ultrasound imaging (USI) the tibial posterior (TP), medial gastrocnemius (MG) and soleus muscle in patients with and without plantar fasciitis (PF). A sample of 42 individuals was recruited and divided into two groups: PF and a healthy group. The thickness, cross-sectional area (CSA), echointensity and echovariation were assessed in both groups by USI. TP, soleus and MG variables did not report differences (p > 0.05) for thickness and CSA. For the echotexture parameters significant differences were found for MG echointensity (p = 0.002), MG echovariation (p = 0.002) and soleus echointensity (p = 0.012). Non-significant differences (p > 0.05) were reported for soleus echovariation, TP echointensity and TP echovariation variables. The thickness and CSA of the TP, GM and soleus muscle did not show significant differences between individuals with and without PF measured by USI. Muscle quality assessment reported an increase of the MG echointensity and echovariation, as well as a decrease of echointensity of the soleus muscle in the PF group with respect to the healthy group. Therefore, the evaluation of the structure and muscle quality of the extrinsic foot muscles may be beneficial for the diagnosis and monitoring the physical therapy interventions.