Focus on POCUS Point of Care Ultrasound in the Upper Extremity.

Ultrasound technologies are infrequently utilized in orthopedics as a first line diagnostic method, however, advances in technology and the applied techniques have opened the door for how and when ultrasound can be used. One specific avenue is the use of point of care ultrasound in which ultrasound is used at the time of initial patient evaluation by the evaluating physician. This use expedites time to diagnosis and can even guide therapeutic interventions. In the past two decades there have been numerous studies demonstrating the effectiveness of ultrasound for the diagnosis of many orthopedic conditions in the upper extremity, often demonstrating that it can be used in the place of and with greater diagnostic accuracy than magnetic resonance imaging. This review elaborates on these topics and lays a groundwork for how to incorporate point of care ultrasound into a modern orthopedic practice.

Patient-reported hip pain and function are worse among elite Nordic ski athletes competing in ski jumping versus Nordic combined: a cross-sectional analysis.

OBJECTIVES: Nordic ski athletes are at increased risk of developing hip pain and dysfunction secondary to femoroacetabular impingement syndrome (FAIS), but it is unclear whether hip symptomatology differs between ski jumping (SJ) and Nordic combined (NC) athletes. The purpose of this study was to compare patient-reported hip pain and dysfunction between elite Nordic ski athletes participating in SJ versus NC. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted involving SJ and NC athletes who competed at the international and U.S. national levels during the 2021-2022 season. Subjects were excluded if they had hip surgery within two years prior to enrollment. Subjects were asked to undergo diagnostic workups for FAIS, including physical examination and plain radiographic imaging. Subjects were asked to complete a survey that collected information on athletic and training history and to complete the hip disability and osteoarthritis outcome score (HOOS). Demographics, athletic/training history, and HOOS sub-scores were compared between the SJ and NC groups using the Student's t-test, Wilcoxon rank-sum test, or Fisher's exact test, as appropriate. p-values < 0.05 were considered significant. RESULTS: Twenty-four athletes (13 SJ, 11 NC) were included in the study. There were no statistically significant differences in age, sex, BMI, or age of menarche between the two groups (all p â€‹> â€‹0.05). There were also no statistically significant differences in the number of prior sports participated in, total hours of participation in prior sports, or total hours of training in Nordic specialization (all p â€‹> â€‹0.05). Among the 18 athletes who underwent physical examination (9 SJ, 9 NC), there were no statistically significant inter-group differences in hip range of motion or incidence of positive impingement tests (all p â€‹> â€‹0.05). Among the 19 athletes who underwent imaging (9 SJ, 10 NC), there were no statistically significant inter-group differences in the incidence of cam or pincer morphology in at least one hip (all p â€‹> â€‹0.05). SJ athletes had statistically significantly worse HOOS sub-scores for hip symptoms and stiffness, hip function in sports/recreational activities, and hip-related quality of life compared to NC athletes (all p â€‹< â€‹0.05). CONCLUSION: Elite SJ athletes have worse self-reported hip function compared to elite NC athletes, despite comparable demographics, athletic history, and duration of ski training. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: IV.

Paresthesia Is Predictive of Symptom Recurrence After Fasciotomy for Exertional Compartment Syndrome of the Leg.

BACKGROUND: Exertional compartment syndrome (ECS) is an underdiagnosed cause of lower extremity pain among athletes. The condition can be managed operatively by fasciotomy to relieve excess compartment pressure. However, symptom recurrence rates after fasciotomy are considerable, ranging from 3% to 17%. HYPOTHESIS: Leg paresthesia and its distribution during ECS episodes would be a significant predictor of outcomes after fasciotomy. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level 4. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective chart review of patients who underwent fasciotomy for ECS at our center from 2010 to 2020 (institutional review board no. 21-00107). We measured postoperative outcomes including pain frequency and severity, Tegner activity level, and return to sport. Significant predictors of outcomes were identified using multivariable linear and logistic regression. P values <0.05 were considered significant. RESULTS: A total of 78 legs (from 42 male and 36 female participants) were included in the study with average follow-up of 52 months (range, 3-126 months); 33 participants (42.3%) presented with paresthesia. Paresthesia was an independent predictor of worse outcomes, including more severe pain at rest (P = 0.05) and with daily activity (P = 0.04), reduced postoperative improvement in Tegner scores (P = 0.04), and lower odds of return to sport (P = 0.05). Those with paresthesia symptoms in the tibial nerve distribution had worse outcomes than those without paresthesia in terms of preoperative-to-present improvement in pain frequency (P < 0.01), pain severity at rest (P < 0.01) and with daily activity (P = 0.04), and return to sport (P = 0.04). CONCLUSION: ECS patients who present with paresthesia have worse pain and activity outcomes after first-time fasciotomy, but prognosis is worst among those with tibial nerve paresthesia. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Paresthesia among ECS patients is broadly predictive of more severe recurrent leg pain, reduced activity level, and decreased odds of return to sport after fasciotomy.

Psychiatric Disorders Are Predictive of Worse Pain Severity and Functional Outcomes After Fasciotomy for Chronic Exertional Compartment Syndrome of the Leg.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether concomitant psychiatric diagnoses and medication use were associated with postfasciotomy outcomes in patients with chronic exertional compartment syndrome (CECS). DESIGN: Retrospective comparative cohort study. SETTING: Single academic medical center from 2010 to 2020. PATIENTS: All patients above 18 years old who underwent fasciotomy for CECS. ASSESSMENT OF RISK FACTORS/INDEPENDENT VARIABLES: Psychiatric history was recorded from electronic health records including disease diagnosis and medications. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The 3 main outcome measures were postoperative pain using the Visual Analog Scale, functional outcomes using the Tegner Activity Scale, and return to sport. RESULTS: Eighty one subjects (legs), 54% male, with an average age of 30 years and follow-up of 52 months were included. 24 subjects (30%) had at least one psychiatric diagnosis at the time of surgery. Regression analysis found psychiatric history to be an independent predictor of worse postoperative pain severity and postoperative Tegner scores (P < 0.05). Furthermore, subjects with psychiatric disorders not on medication had worse pain severity (P < 0.001) and Tegner scores (P < 0.01) versus controls, whereas subjects with a psychiatric disorder on medication had better pain severity (P < 0.05) versus controls. CONCLUSIONS: History of psychiatric disorder was predictive of worse postoperative pain and activity outcomes after fasciotomy for CECS. Use of psychiatric medication was associated with improvement in pain severity in some domains.

Musculoskeletal Considerations for Exercise and Sport: Before, During, and After Pregnancy.

There is little written in the orthopaedic literature regarding common musculoskeletal problems that women encounter in relation to pregnancy and their clinical and surgical management. Exercise and other physical activity are generally recommended for most women before, during, and after pregnancy. Unfortunately, a variety of musculoskeletal issues may keep women from starting, continuing, or resuming a healthy exercise regimen throughout a notable portion of their reproductive years. Untreated and undertreated orthopaedic conditions in female athletes may therefore have further unintended negative effects on maternal and fetal health. This article reviews the existing literature on musculoskeletal health considerations before, during, and after pregnancy to provide practical information to orthopaedic surgeons who treat women of all ages and athletic abilities.