Associations Between Physical Activity Vital Sign in Patients and Health Care Utilization in a Health Care System, 2018-2020.

BACKGROUND: Physical inactivity is a risk factor for many chronic conditions. This retrospective cohort study examined associations between physical activity (PA) with health care utilization (HU). METHODS: A PA vital sign was recorded in clinics from January 2018 to December 2020. Patients were categorized as inactive, insufficiently active, or sufficiently active by US PA aerobic guidelines. Associations between PA vital sign and visits (inpatient admissions, emergency department, urgent care, and primary care) were estimated using population average regression by visit type. RESULTS: 23,721 patients had at least one PA vital sign recorded, with a mean age of 47.3 years and mean body mass index (BMI) of 28; 52% were female and 63% were White. Sufficiently active patients were younger, male, White, and had lower BMI than insufficiently active patients. Achieving 150 minutes per week of moderate to vigorous PA per 1000 patient years was associated with 34 fewer emergency department visits (P < .001), 19 fewer inpatient admissions (P < .001), and 38 fewer primary care visits (P < .001) compared with inactive patients. Stronger associations between lower PA and higher HU were present among those who were older or had a higher comorbidity. BMI, sex, ethnicity, and race did not modify the association between PA and HU. CONCLUSIONS: Meeting aerobic guidelines was associated with reduced HU for inpatient, primary care, and emergency department visits.

The Role of Exercise in Treating Low Back Pain.

ABSTRACT: The purpose of this review is to highlight the role of exercise in preventing and managing acute and chronic axial low back pain (LBP). LBP is one of the leading contributors to years lived with disability as well as health care expenditures in the United States. With an expected increase in prevalence due to an aging population, sports medicine providers have a unique opportunity to provide effective treatment strategies incorporating exercise advice and prescription. Although the majority of individuals with acute LBP will have their symptoms resolve spontaneously, almost 40% will have recurrence or develop chronic LBP within 1 year. No single exercise method has been shown to be more effective than another. The evidence for walking programs, aerobic exercise, yoga, Pilates, and tai chi for LBP is discussed. Our review summarizes the beneficial role of a personalized exercise program and related counseling strategies in the prevention and management of LBP.

Implementation of a Physical Activity Vital Sign in Primary Care: Associations Between Physical Activity, Demographic Characteristics, and Chronic Disease Burden.

INTRODUCTION: Physical activity is important to prevent and manage multiple chronic medical conditions. The objective of this study was to describe the implementation of a physical activity vital sign (PAVS) in a primary care setting and examine the association between physical activity with demographic characteristics and chronic disease burden. METHODS: We extracted data from the electronic medical records of patients who had visits from July 2018 through January 2020 in a primary care clinic in which PAVS was implemented as part of the intake process. Data collected included self-reported physical activity, age, sex, body mass index, race, ethnicity, and a modified Charlson Comorbidity Index score indicating chronic disease burden. We classified PAVS into 3 categories of time spent in moderate to strenuous intensity physical activity: consistently inactive (0 min/wk), inconsistently active (<150 min/wk), and consistently active (≥150 min/wk). We used χ2 tests of independence to test for association between PAVS categories and all other variables. RESULTS: During the study period, 13,704 visits, corresponding to 8,741 unique adult patients, had PAVS recorded. Overall, 18.1% of patients reported being consistently inactive, 48.3% inconsistently active, and 33.7% consistently active. All assessed demographic and clinical covariates were associated with PAVS classification (all P < .001). Larger percentages of consistent inactivity were reported for female, older, and underweight or obese patients. Larger percentages of consistent activity were reported for male, younger, and normal weight or overweight patients. CONCLUSION: Using PAVS as a screening tool in primary care enables physicians to understand the physical activity status of their patients and can be useful in identifying inactive patients who may benefit from physical activity counseling.

Head and Spinal Injuries in Equestrian Sports: Update on Epidemiology, Clinical Outcomes, and Injury Prevention.

Equestrian sports represent a variety of activities involving a horse and rider. Due to the unpredictable nature of horses, their height, and potential high speeds involved, equestrian athletes are at risk of head and spinal injuries. This review describes the epidemiology, injury mechanisms, and risk factors for equestrian sports-related head and spinal injuries. Traumatic brain injuries, including concussions, are more common than spinal injuries. Both injury types are most commonly related to a rider fall from a horse. Spinal injuries are less common but are associated with potentially significant neurological morbidity when spinal cord injury occurs. An improved understanding of preventable injury mechanisms, increased certified helmet use, improved helmet technologies, and educational outreach may help to address the risk of head and spinal injuries in equestrian sports.

Exertional Heatstroke in a Marathon Runner Complicated by Concurrent Use of an Antipsychotic Medication Affecting Thermoregulation.

We report the case of a half-marathon runner who presented with exertional heatstroke (EHS), whose management was confounded by concurrent treatment of his bipolar disorder with olanzapine. Antipsychotics can have a profound effect on thermoregulation and can cause athletes to present with features of neuroleptic malignant syndrome in the setting of EHS. It is vital for medical providers to consider the thermoregulatory effects of all medications, including antipsychotics, when providing care during sporting events.

Sex Differences in Common Sports Injuries.

Common sports injuries include bone stress injuries (BSIs), anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries, and concussions. Less commonly recognized are the specific sex differences in epidemiology, risk factors, and outcomes of these conditions by sex. An understanding of these factors can improve their clinical management, from prescribing appropriate prehabilitation to guiding postinjury rehabilitation and return to play. This narrative review summarizes the sex differences in the diagnosis and management of BSIs, ACL injuries, and concussions. Although BSIs are more common in female athletes, risk factors for both sexes include prior injury and relative energy deficiency in sport (RED-S). Risk factors in female athletes include smaller calf girth, femoral adduction, and higher rates of loading. Female athletes are also at greater risk for developing ACL injuries in high school and college, but their injury rate is similar in professional sports. Increased lateral tibial slope, smaller ACL size, and suboptimal landing mechanics are additional risk factors more often present in female athletes. Male athletes are more likely to have ACL surgery and have a higher rate of return to sport. Concussions occur more commonly in female athletes; however, female athletes are also more likely to report concussions. Male athletes more commonly sustain concussion through contact with another player. Female athletes more commonly sustain injury from contact with playing equipment. Managing post-concussion symptoms is important, and female athletes may have prolonged symptoms. An understanding of the sex-specific differences in these common sports injuries can help optimize their prehabilitation and rehabilitation. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: IV.

Injury and illness surveillance at the International Sailing Federation Sailing World Championships 2014.

BACKGROUND/AIM: The Sailing World Championships 2014 was contested by 1167 sailors in all 10 Olympic classes. Our objective was to characterise sailing-related injuries and illnesses in sailors participating in this regatta. METHODS: We conducted 2 surveys: (1) prior to the World Championships, sailors answered a 12-month recall questionnaire on sailing-related injuries and illnesses and (2) during the Championships, injuries and illnesses were documented. RESULTS: There were 760 respondents (65% of all participants) for the 12-month recall questionnaire (58% male, 42% female), of whom 244 participants reported 299 injuries (0.59 injuries per 1000 h of sailing). Injuries were most prevalent in the 49erFX (64%), RS:X Women (39%), 49er (37%) and Nacra 17 (36%). Lower back (29% of sailors), knee (13%), shoulder (12%) and ankle (10%) injuries were most prevalent; most (58% of all injuries) were overuse injuries; and 56% of sailors lost sailing time. Most illnesses (40%) were infections, primarily of the respiratory system (43%). During the Championships, there were 67 injuries (4 per 1000 days of sailing). The 49er (24% of all injuries), 470 Men and Women (24%), and 49erFX (19%) had the highest incidence. Injuries to the hand/fingers (22% of all injuries), back (18%), and foot (12%) were most common, as were contusions (37% of all injuries), cuts/lacerations (24%), and sprains (9%). Of the 29 illnesses (2 per 1000 days of sailing), 9 (31%) were gastrointestinal and 6 (21%) respiratory, while 2 (7%) were gout attacks. CONCLUSIONS: The Olympic classes introduced since 2000 (49erFX, 49er, Nacra 17) have resulted in a rise in injuries.

Lower-Limb Muscle-Activation Patterns During Off-Axis Elliptical Compared With Conventional Gluteal-Muscle-Strengthening Exercises.

CONTEXT: Gluteal-muscle strength has been identified as an important component of injury prevention and rehabilitation in several common knee injuries. However, many conventionally prescribed gluteal-strengthening exercises are not performed during dynamic weight-bearing activities, which is when most injuries occur. OBJECTIVES: To compare lower-limb muscle-activation patterns between conventional gluteal-strengthening exercises and off-axis elliptical exercises with motorized foot-plate perturbations designed to activate gluteal muscles during dynamic exercise. EVIDENCE ACQUISITION: Twelve healthy volunteers (26.1 ± 4.7 y) participated in the study. They performed 3 conventional exercises (single-leg squat, forward lunge, and clamshell) and 3 elliptical exercises (regular, while resisting an adduction force, and while resisting an internal-rotation torque). Gluteus medius (GMed) and maximus (GMax), quadriceps, hamstrings, and gastrocnemius muscle activations during each exercise were recorded using surface electromyography (EMG) and normalized to maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC). EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS: Normalized GMed EMG was the highest during the adduction-resistance elliptical exercise (22.4% ± 14.8% MVIC), significantly greater than forward lunge (8.2% ± 3.8% MVIC) and regular elliptical (6.4% ± 2.5% MVIC) and similar to clamshell (19.1% ± 8.8% MVIC) and single-leg squat (18.4% ± 7.9% MVIC). Normalized GMax EMG during adduction-resistance (11.1% ± 7.6% MVIC) and internal-rotation-resistance elliptical (7.4% ± 3.8% MVIC) was significantly greater than regular elliptical (4.4% ± 2.4% MVIC) and was similar to conventional exercises. The single-leg squat required more muscle activation from the quadriceps and gastrocnemius than the elliptical exercises. CONCLUSIONS: Off-axis elliptical exercise while resisting an adduction force or internal-rotation torque activates gluteal muscles dynamically while avoiding excessive quadriceps activation during a functional weight-bearing activity compared with conventional gluteal-strengthening exercises.

Comparison of autologous conditioned plasma injection, extracorporeal shockwave therapy, and conventional treatment for plantar fasciitis: a randomized trial.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the efficacy of autologous conditioned plasma (ACP) compared with extracorporeal shockwave (ESWT) and conventional treatments for plantar fasciitis. DESIGN: Randomized trial. SETTING: Sports medicine center in a tertiary care hospital. PATIENTS: Fifty-four subjects (age range, 29-71 years) with unilateral chronic plantar fasciitis with more than 4 months of symptoms. METHODS: Subjects randomized to 3 groups: 19 to ACP and conventional treatment (ACP group), 19 to ESWT and conventional treatment (ESWT group), and 16 to conventional treatment alone. Conventional treatment included stretching exercises and orthotics if indicated. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: Outcomes were pain-Visual Analog Scale (VAS), American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) ankle-hindfoot scale, and ultrasound plantar fascia thickness assessed at baseline before treatment and at 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months after treatment. RESULTS: VAS, AOFAS ankle-hindfoot scale, and plantar fascia thickness improved in all groups. Significant VAS pain score improvements in the ACP group compared with conventional treatment at month 1 (P = .037) and for the ESWT group compared with conventional treatment at months 1, 3, and 6 (P = .017, P = .022, and P = .042). The AOFAS ankle-hindfoot scale score improved in the ACP group at months 3 and 6 (P = .004 and P = .013) and, for the ESWT group, at months 1 and 3 (P = .011 and P = .003) compared with conventional treatment. Significant improvements in plantar fascia thickness were seen in the ACP group at months 1 and 3 compared with conventional treatments (P = .015 and P = .014) and at months 3 and 6 compared with the ESWT group (P = .019 and P = .027). No adverse events reported. CONCLUSIONS: Treatment of plantar fasciitis with ACP or ESWT plus conventional treatments resulted in improved pain and functional outcomes compared with conventional treatment alone. There was no significant difference between ACP and ESWT in terms of VAS and AOFAS ankle-hindfoot scale improvements, although the ACP group demonstrated greater reductions in plantar fascia thickness.

Traumatic spinal cord injuries in horseback riding: a 35-year review.

BACKGROUND: Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a potentially disabling neurologic injury that can occur in horseback riding. To date, no published study has examined the epidemiology of SCI from horseback riding in the United States, and few international studies exist on this topic. Several studies have described traumatic brain injuries, spine fractures, and extremity injuries; however, SCI patterns and outcomes in horseback riders are poorly understood. PURPOSE: This study was undertaken to characterize the demographics, SCI patterns, and neurologic outcomes of persons with SCIs related to horseback riding. STUDY DESIGN: Descriptive epidemiologic study. METHODS: This is a retrospective review of 121 SCI cases from horseback riding in the National SCI Statistical Center database from 1973 to 2008. The treatment setting was 26 U.S. SCI Model Systems of Care. The number of injuries, gender, age, and SCI type for horseback riding were compared with other sports and activities. The level of preserved neurologic function, SCI completeness, American Spinal Injury Association classification, and mechanical ventilation use at discharge were examined in the horseback riding group. RESULTS: The mean age of injury was 37.8 years (standard deviation, 15.2). The majority of patients were white (88%) and female (50.4%). Compared with diving, motorcycle riding, football, and gymnastics, horseback riding involved a significantly higher number of women (P < .005), a higher mean age of injury, and an equal likelihood of resulting in paraplegia and tetraplegia. The most common levels of preserved neurologic function were C4-C6, T12, and L1. Spinal cord injury from horseback riding most commonly resulted in incomplete tetraplegia (41%) followed by complete paraplegia (24%). Only 4 patients required mechanical ventilation on discharge from acute inpatient rehabilitation. CONCLUSION: Spinal cord injury from horseback riding affects an equal proportion of women and men, has a wide age range, and most commonly results in incomplete tetraplegia followed by complete paraplegia. Study findings improve awareness of the demographics and neurologic outcomes of individuals with SCI from horseback riding and can help guide future studies evaluating SCI mechanisms in horseback riders to improve injury prevention and management.

Neonatal microstructural development of the internal capsule on diffusion tensor imaging correlates with severity of gait and motor deficits.

Neonatal microstructural development in the posterior limbs of the internal capsule (PLIC) was assessed using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) fractional anisotropy (FA) in 24 very-low-birthweight preterm infants at 37 weeks' gestational age and compared with the children's gait and motor deficits at 4 years of age. There were 14 participants with normal neonatal FA values (seven females, seven males; born at 27.6 weeks [SD 2.3] gestational age; birthweight 1027g [SD 229]) and 10 participants with low FA values in the PLIC (four females, six males; born at 28.4 weeks [SD 2.0] gestational age; birthweight 1041g [SD 322]). Seven of the 10 children with low FA and none of the children with normal FA had been diagnosed with CP by the time of gait testing. Among children with low neonatal FA, there was a strong negative correlation between FA of the combined left and right side PLIC and log NI (r=-0.89, p=0.001) and between FA and GMFCS (r=-0.65, p=0.04) at 4 years of age. There was no correlation between FA and gait NI or GMFCS at 4 years of age among children with normal neonatal FA. This preliminary study suggests neonatal DTI may be an important predictor of the severity of future gait and motor deficits.