Shoulder Conditions: Rotator Cuff Injuries and Bursitis.

Subacromial impingement/pain syndrome is a common cause of shoulder pain that encompasses a spectrum of pathology of the subacromial bursa and rotator cuff tendons. Pathology of the rotator cuff tendons can range from inflammation to fibrotic changes to partial- and full-thickness tears. Biomechanical dysfunction of the rotator cuff and glenohumeral complex contributes to the pathophysiology and progression of subacromial impingement/pain syndrome. The most common risk factor for subacromial pain and rotator cuff tendinopathy is repetitive overhead activity. Rotator cuff conditions typically manifest with an insidious onset of pain but also can be the result of acute injury. Magnetic resonance imaging study and ultrasonography may be useful to evaluate for soft tissue pathology, depending on the level of clinical concern regarding rotator cuff tear. Management of rotator cuff conditions depends on multiple factors, including chronicity, underlying anatomic and biomechanical factors, age, and the presence and degree of tendon tears. Management typically starts with conservative care such as physical therapy, anti-inflammatory drugs, and injection therapies but eventually may include surgical repair.

Shoulder Conditions: Glenohumeral Joint Osteoarthritis and Adhesive Capsulitis.

Glenohumeral joint osteoarthritis (OA) and adhesive capsulitis are two common causes of shoulder pain. The glenohumeral joint is the third most common large joint affected by OA. Studies have shown that 16% to 20% of adults older than 65 years have radiographic signs of glenohumeral joint OA. Management of shoulder OA starts with conservative therapies, including oral drugs, injections, and physical therapy. Joint replacement can be considered if conservative measures are not effective. Adhesive capsulitis, also known as frozen shoulder, is estimated to affect 2% to 5% of the population and is seen most often in patients between ages 40 and 65 years. The exact causal mechanism of adhesive capsulitis is unknown but risk factors include diabetes and thyroid disease. Adhesive capsulitis is thought to follow a set of clinical stages. It ultimately is self-limited, although some patients experience residual effects. Management starts with conservative therapies, including oral drugs, injections, and physical therapy. Surgical management can be considered if conservative measures are not effective.

Shoulder Conditions: Traumatic Instability and Laxity.

Shoulder instability involves increased translation of the humeral head in relation to the glenoid that results in symptoms. Anterior dislocation is the most common type of traumatic instability and typically involves younger male athletes. A comprehensive patient history should include the mechanism of injury, number and severity of episodes, neurovascular symptoms, and personal or family history of connective tissue disorders. Tests to assess instability on physical examination include the anterior apprehension and Jobe relocation tests, load and shift test, sulcus sign, and jerk test. X-rays are the initial imaging modality of choice, followed by 3 T magnetic resonance arthrogram. If concerns exist about significant bone loss, computed tomography scan with 3-dimensional reconstruction can be considered. Multidirectional instability often can be managed with physical therapy. Surgery should be considered if there is no improvement after 3 months. Patients with traumatic dislocations may pursue conservative treatment, but the risk of recurrence and difficulty in returning to the prior level of sport indicate that surgical intervention may be more beneficial, particularly for younger active patients. Patients with significant bone loss may benefit from bone block surgery, such as the Latarjet procedure.

Shoulder Conditions: Clavicle and Acromioclavicular Joint Conditions.

The clavicle is the most commonly fractured bone, and the most frequently fractured part of the clavicle is the middle third (ie, midshaft). X-ray usually is the first-line imaging modality for clavicle injuries. Conservative management is preferred for patients with uncomplicated and nondisplaced clavicular fractures. Typically, immobilization should last 4 weeks, then range-of-motion exercises should begin after 4 weeks, with full return to activities by 12 weeks. Distal clavicle osteolysis is a relatively uncommon pathologic bone resorption that occurs with repetitive overhead activities. Conservative management includes activity modification, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and injection. Surgical options also are available. Acute acromioclavicular (AC) joint injuries usually are the result of a direct blow to the superolateral shoulder with the humerus in adduction. The Rockwood classification system of AC joint injuries describes types I to VI, classified by the ligaments injured and degree of displacement. Low-grade AC joint injuries (ie, types I to III) typically can be managed nonsurgically, whereas high-grade injuries are managed with surgery. Osteoarthrosis of the AC joint manifests similarly to distal clavicle osteolysis and may be posttraumatic or idiopathic. Osteoarthrosis typically is managed with activity modification, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and injections but also may be managed surgically.

American Medical Society for Sports Medicine Position Statement: Mental Health Issues and Psychological Factors in Athletes: Detection, Management, Effect on Performance, and Prevention-Executive Summary.

The American Medical Society for Sports Medicine convened a panel of experts to provide an evidence-based, best practice document to assist sports medicine physicians and other members of the athletic care network with the detection, treatment, and prevention of mental health (MH) issues in competitive athletes. This statement discusses how members of the sports medicine team, including team physicians, athletic trainers, and MH providers, work together in providing comprehensive psychological care to athletes. It specifically addresses psychological factors in athletes including personality issues and the psychological response to injury and illness. The statement also examines the athletic culture and environmental factors that commonly impact MH, including sexuality and gender issues, hazing, bullying, sexual misconduct, and transition from sport. Specific MH disorders in athletes, such as eating disorders/disordered eating, depression and suicide, anxiety and stress, overtraining, sleep disorders and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, are reviewed with a focus on detection, management, the effect on performance, and prevention. This document uses the Strength of Recommendation Taxonomy to grade level of evidence.

Mental Health Issues and Psychological Factors in Athletes: Detection, Management, Effect on Performance, and Prevention: American Medical Society for Sports Medicine Position Statement.

The American Medical Society for Sports Medicine convened a panel of experts to provide an evidence-based, best practices document to assist sports medicine physicians and other members of the athletic care network with the detection, treatment, and prevention of mental health issues in competitive athletes. This statement discusses how members of the sports medicine team, including team physicians, athletic trainers, and mental health providers, work together in providing comprehensive psychological care to athletes. It specifically addresses psychological factors in athletes including personality issues and the psychological response to injury and illness. The statement also examines the athletic culture and environmental factors that commonly impact mental health, including sexuality and gender issues, hazing, bullying, sexual misconduct, and transition from sport. Specific mental health disorders in athletes, such as eating disorders/disordered eating, depression and suicide, anxiety and stress, overtraining, sleep disorders, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, are reviewed with a focus on detection, management, the effect on performance, and prevention. This document uses the Strength of Recommendation Taxonomy (SORT) to grade level of evidence.

Mental health issues and psychological factors in athletes: detection, management, effect on performance and prevention: American Medical Society for Sports Medicine Position Statement-Executive Summary.

The American Medical Society for Sports Medicine convened a panel of experts to provide an evidence-based, best practices document to assist sports medicine physicians and other members of the athletic care network with the detection, treatment and prevention of mental health issues in competitive athletes. This statement discusses how members of the sports medicine team, including team physicians, athletic trainers and mental health providers, work together in providing comprehensive psychological care to athletes. It specifically addresses psychological factors in athletes including personality issues and the psychological response to injury and illness. The statement also examines the athletic culture and environmental factors that commonly impact mental health, including sexuality and gender issues, hazing, bullying, sexual misconduct and transition from sport. Specific mental health disorders in athletes, such as eating disorders/disordered eating, depression and suicide, anxiety and stress, overtraining, sleep disorders and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, are reviewed with a focus on detection, management, the effect on performance and prevention. This document uses the Strength of Recommendation Taxonomy to grade level of evidence.

Relationships between hydration biomarkers and total fluid intake in pregnant and lactating women.

INTRODUCTION: Previous research established significant relationships between total fluid intake (TFI) and urinary biomarkers of the hydration process in free-living males and females; however, the nature of this relationship is not known for pregnant (PREG) and lactating (LACT) women. PURPOSE: To determine the relationship between urinary and hematological hydration biomarkers with TFI in PREG and LACT. METHODS: Eighteen PREG/LACT (age: 31 ± 3 years, pre-pregnancy BMI: 24.26 ± 5.85 kg m-2) collected 24-h urine samples, recorded TFI, and provided a blood sample at 5 time points (15 ± 2, 26 ± 1, 37 ± 1 weeks gestation, 3 ± 1 and 9 ± 1 weeks postpartum during lactation); 18 pair-matched non-pregnant (NP), non-lactating (NL) women (age: 29 ± 4 years, BMI: 24.1 ± 3.7 kg m-2) provided samples at similar time intervals. Twenty-four-hour urine volume (U VOL), osmolality (U OSM), specific gravity (U SG), and color (U COL) were measured. Hematocrit, serum osmolality (S OSM), and serum total protein (S TP) were measured in blood. RESULTS: Significant relationships were present between TFI and urinary biomarkers in all women (P < 0.004); these relationships were not different between PREG and NP, and LACT and NL, except U VOL in PREG (P = 0.0017). No significant relationships between TFI and hematological biomarkers existed (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Urinary biomarkers of hydration, but not hematological biomarkers, have a strong relationship with TFI in PREG, LACT, NP, and NL women. These data suggest that urinary biomarkers of hydration reflect TFI during pregnancy and breast-feeding.

Achilles Tendon Properties of Minimalist and Traditionally Shod Runners.

CONTEXT: Tendon adapts to load through alterations in its composition and mechanical properties. Mechanical adaptation to increased load often involves increases in cross-sectional area (CSA), stiffness, and modulus. Runners exhibit these adaptations. OBJECTIVE: To determine if runners wearing minimalist shoes had larger and stiffer Achilles tendons (AT) than traditionally shod runners. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study of well-trained, traditionally and minimally shod runners. SETTING: Laboratory assessment of trained runners. PARTICIPANTS: 23 men (11 traditional, 12 minimalist) and 8 women (6 traditional, 2 minimalist). Runners wearing minimalist shoes had 4.2 ± 1.6 y of training experience in minimalist shoes. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The authors used diagnostic ultrasound and isokinetic dynamometry to generate a force-elongation curve and its derivatives. RESULTS: Minimalist runners had a greater CSA: mean difference (MD) = 9.2 mm2, stiffness (MD = 268.1 N/mm), and modulus (MD = 202.9 MPa). ATs of minimalist runners experienced greater stress (MD 8.6 N/mm2) during maximal voluntary isometric contraction of the plantar-flexor muscles due to greater force of contraction (MD 798.9 N). CONCLUSION: The AT in minimalist runners adapts by increasing size, stiffness, and modulus, which is consistent with our understanding of mechanical adaptation of tendon to increased loading. Increased stress to the AT likely requires a slow transition to minimalist running to allow the AT to adapt without evidence of injury.

Landing Technique Improvements After an Aquatic-Based Neuromuscular Training Program in Physically Active Women.

CONTEXT: Neuromuscular training programs (NTPs) improve landing technique and decrease vertical ground-reaction forces (VGRFs), resulting in injury-risk reduction. NTPs in an aquatic environment may elicit the same improvements as land-based programs with reduced joint stress. OBJECTIVE: To examine the effects of an aquatic NTP on landing technique as measured by the Landing Error Scoring System (LESS) and VGRFs, immediately and 4 mo after the intervention. DESIGN AND SETTING: Repeated measures, pool and laboratory. PARTICIPANTS: Fifteen healthy, recreationally active women (age 21 ± 2 y, mass 62.02 ± 8.18 kg, height 164.74 ± 5.97 cm) who demonstrated poor landing technique (LESS-Real Time > 4). INTERVENTIONS: All participants completed an aquatic NTP 3 times/wk for 6 wk. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Participants' landing technique was evaluated using a jump-landing task immediately before (PRE), immediately after (POST), and 4 mo after (RET) the intervention period. A single rater, blinded to time point, graded all videos using the LESS, which is a valid and reliable movement-screening tool. Peak VGRFs were measured during the stance phase of the jump-landing test. Repeated-measure analyses of variance with planned comparisons were performed to explore differences between time points. RESULTS: LESS scores were lower at POST (4.46 ± 1.69 errors) and at RET (4.2 ± 1.72 errors) than at PRE (6.30 ± 1.78 errors) (P < .01). No significant differences were observed between POST and RET (P > .05). Participants also landed with significantly lower peak VGRFs (P < .01) from PRE (2.69 ± .72 N) to POST (2.23 ± .66 N). CONCLUSIONS: The findings introduce evidence that an aquatic NTP improves landing technique and suggest that improvements are retained over time. These results show promise of using an aquatic NTP when there is a desire to reduce joint loading, such as early stages of rehabilitation, to improve biomechanics and reduce injury risk.

Metabolic characteristics of keto-adapted ultra-endurance runners.

BACKGROUND: Many successful ultra-endurance athletes have switched from a high-carbohydrate to a low-carbohydrate diet, but they have not previously been studied to determine the extent of metabolic adaptations. METHODS: Twenty elite ultra-marathoners and ironman distance triathletes performed a maximal graded exercise test and a 180 min submaximal run at 64% VO2max on a treadmill to determine metabolic responses. One group habitually consumed a traditional high-carbohydrate (HC: n=10, %carbohydrate:protein:fat=59:14:25) diet, and the other a low-carbohydrate (LC; n=10, 10:19:70) diet for an average of 20 months (range 9 to 36 months). RESULTS: Peak fat oxidation was 2.3-fold higher in the LC group (1.54±0.18 vs 0.67±0.14 g/min; P=0.000) and it occurred at a higher percentage of VO2max (70.3±6.3 vs 54.9±7.8%; P=0.000). Mean fat oxidation during submaximal exercise was 59% higher in the LC group (1.21±0.02 vs 0.76±0.11 g/min; P=0.000) corresponding to a greater relative contribution of fat (88±2 vs 56±8%; P=0.000). Despite these marked differences in fuel use between LC and HC athletes, there were no significant differences in resting muscle glycogen and the level of depletion after 180 min of running (-64% from pre-exercise) and 120 min of recovery (-36% from pre-exercise). CONCLUSION: Compared to highly trained ultra-endurance athletes consuming an HC diet, long-term keto-adaptation results in extraordinarily high rates of fat oxidation, whereas muscle glycogen utilization and repletion patterns during and after a 3 hour run are similar.

Eating disorders in female athletes: use of screening tools.

Screening female athletes for eating disorders is not performed commonly even though the American College of Sports Medicine, National Athletic Trainer Association, and International Olympic Committee have guidelines recommending screening. Eating disorders are more prevalent in the female athlete population than in the general population and carry short-term and long-term consequences that can affect sport performance. There are several screening tools available that have been studied in the general population and fewer tools that were validated specifically in female athletes. Female athletes with eating disorder pathology often have different factors and environmental pressures contributing to their pathology that can be identified best with an athlete-specific screening tool. We will discuss various screening tools available and the evidence for each one. Screening for eating disorders in all female athletes is an important part of the preparticipation examination and should be done using a tool specifically validated for the female athlete.

Basketball injuries: caring for a basketball team.

Basketball is a popular sport in North America and worldwide. Most injuries are lower extremity injuries to the ankle and knee. In this article, injuries common to basketball and, from our experience, injuries that escape injury surveillance systems are discussed from the physician and athletic trainer's perspective. Both treatment and prevention of injuries are discussed.

Blunt visual trauma.

Eye injuries in sports have an estimated incidence near 15%. These injuries can have a wide range of severity with a risk profile that is different for each individual sport. It is important to screen for and protect any functionally one-eyed athletes before athletic participation. Protective eyewear has been proposed in many sports, but outcomes data on its effectiveness are limited. Several blunt visual trauma injuries and their management are reviewed, and tools to have in the sideline bag and a few different ophthalmologic medicines are discussed.