Solely sutures is a reliable fixation for valgus-impacted proximal humeral fractures.

PURPOSE: Valgus impacted proximal humeral fractures with substantial displacement may severely compromise shoulder function and open reduction can therefore be considered. Internal fixation hardware may eventually however constitute problems. In a small subset of these fractures, in which there is no medial comminution and intact blood supply it is possible to use a least possible fixation method with solely sutures through the tendons of the rotator cuff and the shaft as described by Bigliani 1990. The aim of the present study was to investigate the outcome of this fixation method in a retrospective series of patients. METHODS: Twenty-seven patients, 23 women and 4 men, with a mean age of 66 years (53-83) and minimum follow-up time of 2 years (2-11 years) accepted follow-up with standard shoulder radiographs and 22 were examined with Oxford Shoulder Score (OSS), Constant-Murley (CM) shoulder score and Numeric Rating Scale for pain (NRS). Reoperations or adverse events were recorded. RESULTS: The median OSS was 45 (range 5-48) and CM 63 (range 21-98). The relative CM score was 81% of the uninjured side and median NRS 0 (range 0-5). No reoperations were undertaken. One patient had a complete avascular necrosis (AVN), 3 patients had a partial AVN of the humeral head and two a partial resorption of the greater tuberosity. CONCLUSION: The use of sutures only for fixation of displaced valgus-impacted proximal humeral fractures provided a relatively reliable outcome with good functional scores and no reoperations. There appears to be no need for the use of hardware for fixation of this rare subset of fractures.

Symptomatic Achilles Tendons are Thicker than Asymptomatic Tendons on Ultrasound Examination in Recreational Long-Distance Runners.

There is a need for clinical indicators that can be used to guide the treatment of Achilles tendon complaints in recreational runners. Diagnostic ultrasound has recently been introduced for clinical decision support in tendon pain management. The aim of this study was to determine whether tendon thickness and morphological changes in the Achilles tendon detected in ultrasound examinations are associated with local symptoms in middle-age recreational long-distance runners. Forty-two Achilles tendons (21 middle-aged runners) were investigated by ultrasound examination measuring tendon thickness and a morphology score indicating tendinosis. The Generalized Estimating Equations method was applied in multiple models of factors associated with reporting a symptomatic tendon. Eleven symptomatic and 31 asymptomatic Achilles tendons were recorded. In the multiple model that used tendon thickness measured 30 mm proximal to the distal insertion, an association was found between thickness and reporting a symptomatic tendon (p < 0.001; OR 12.9; 95% CI 3.1 to 53.2). A qualitative morphology score was not found to be significantly associated with reporting a symptomatic tendon (p = 0.10). We conclude that symptomatic Achilles tendons were thicker than asymptomatic tendons on ultrasound examination among recreational long-distance runners and that the importance of parallel morphological findings need to be further investigated in prospective studies.

Maintaining motivation and health among recreational runners: Panel study of factors associated with self-rated performance outcomes at competitions.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate health-related factors associated with self-rated race performance outcomes among recreational long-distance runners. DESIGN: Panel study. METHODS: Data were collected from runners one month before and after a community-level race event including distances from 8 to 42.2 km. The primary outcome measure was self-rated race performance outcome. The explanatory variables represented health complaints suffered during the build-up year, the pre-race month, and the race and among full marathon runners predicted objective performance outcome (mean pace equal to training pace or faster). Multiple logistic regression was used to determine factors associated with the self-rated performance outcome. RESULTS: Two-hundred forty-five runners (29%) provided complete data sets. Seventy-four percent of the runners reached their desired race performance outcome. Achievement of the performance outcome was more likely when having avoided illness during the build-up and pre-race periods (OR = 3.8; 95% CI:1.8-8.0, p < 0.001), having avoided per-race injury (OR=3.0; 95% CI:1.2-7.4, p = 0.02) and avoided per-race illness (OR = 4.1; 95% CI:1.3-15, p = 0.020). Having obtained the self-rated performance outcome was also associated with running a shorter distance (OR=3.6; 95% CI: 1.7-8.0, p = 0.001) and being younger than 50 years of age (OR = 2.4; 95% CI:1.1-5.3-8.3, p = 0.03). Having met the predicted objective performance outcome predisposed marathon runners to also obtain the self-rated performance outcome (OR = 4.7, 95% CI: 1.5-16, p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Having avoided illness during build-up and pre-race was positively associated with self-rated race performance outcome among recreational runners. Adjusting the desired performance outcomes with regard to recent illness and age may help recreational runners to more often achieve their goals and thereby prevent them from leaving the sport.

Simulation of patient specific cervical hip fracture surgery with a volume haptic interface.

The interest for surgery simulator systems with anatomical models generated from authentic patient data is growing as these systems evolve. With access to volumetric patient data, e.g., from a computer tomography scan, haptic and visual feedback can be created directly from this dataset. This opens the door for patient specific simulations. Hip fracture surgery is one area where simulator systems is useful to train new surgeons and plan operations. To simulate the drilling procedure in this type of surgery, a repositioning of the fractured bone into correct position is first needed. This requires a segmentation process in which the bone segments are identified and the position of the dislocated part is determined. The segmentation must be automatic to cope with the large amount of data from the computer tomography scan. This work presents the first steps in the development of a hip fracture surgery simulation with patient specific models. Visual and haptic feedback is generated from the computer tomography data by simulating fluoroscopic images and the drilling process. We also present an automatic segmentation method to identify the fractured bone and determine the dislocation. This segmentation method is based on nonrigid registration with the Morphon method.

Associations between recreational runners' anti-inflammatory drug use, coping strategies, and time loss due to injury and illness during preparations for a marathon event.

BACKGROUND: Due to the dominance of overuse injuries among runners, knowledge of how use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and behavioral factors contribute to injury events is important. The aim of this study was to explore recreational marathon runners' strategies for coping with injury and illness, including use of drugs for control of pain and inflammation, and to investigate whether these strategies were associated with the 1-year prevalence of time-loss injury and illness. METHODS: An online questionnaire was used for data collection in this cross-sectional study. The population consisted of runners who had registered for a marathon (N.=341). Strategies used to understand and manage perceptions of injury and illness were measured with the Brief COPE instrument and the use of NSAIDs was investigated. RESULTS: Complete survey data were provided by 161 runners (47%). 42% reported NSAID use. A notable injury in the past year was reported by 43%, and 19% reported having had a time-loss illness episode. Runners who reported NSAID use in the past year reported significantly fewer time-loss injuries (P=0.003). Time loss due to illness only showed a negative correlation with using emotional support for coping (P=0.010) and a positive correlation with self-blame (P=0.039). CONCLUSIONS: Runners stating NSAID use reported fewer time-loss running injuries than non-NSAID users. Time loss due to illness showed different correlates with NSAID use and coping strategies than time loss due to injury, i.e. no association with drug use, less use of emotional support for coping and more use of self-blame.

mHealth Self-Report Monitoring in Competitive Middle- and Long-Distance Runners: Qualitative Study of Long-Term Use Intentions Using the Technology Acceptance Model.

BACKGROUND: International middle- and long-distance running competitions attract millions of spectators in association with city races, world championships, and Olympic Games. It is therefore a major concern that ill health and pain, as a result of sports overuse, lead to numerous hours of lost training and decreased performance in competitive runners. Despite its potential for sustenance of performance, approval of mHealth self-report monitoring (mHSM) in this group of athletes has not been investigated. OBJECTIVE: The objective of our study was to explore individual and situational factors associated with the acceptance of long-term mHSM in competitive runners. METHODS: The study used qualitative research methods with the Technology Acceptance Model as the theoretical foundation. The study population included 20 middle- and long-distance runners competing at national and international levels. Two mHSM apps asking for health and training data from track and marathon runners were created on a platform for web survey development (Briteback AB). Data collection for the technology acceptance analysis was performed via personal interviews before and after a 6-week monitoring period. Preuse interviews investigated experience and knowledge of mHealth monitoring and thoughts on benefits and possible side effects. The postuse interviews addressed usability and usefulness, attitudes toward nonfunctional issues, and intentions to adhere to long-term monitoring. In addition, the runners' trustworthiness when providing mHSM data was discussed. The interview data were investigated using a deductive thematic analysis. RESULTS: The mHSM apps were considered technically easy to use. Although the runners read the instructions and entered data effortlessly, some still perceived mHSM as problematic. Concerns were raised about the selection of items for monitoring (eg, recording training load as running distance or time) and about interpretation of concepts (eg, whether subjective well-being should encompass only the running context or daily living on the whole). Usefulness of specific mHSM apps was consequently not appraised on the same bases in different subcategories of runners. Regarding nonfunctional issues, the runners competing at the international level requested detailed control over who in their sports club and national federation should be allowed access to their data; the less competitive runners had no such issues. Notwithstanding, the runners were willing to adhere to long-term mHSM, provided the technology was adjusted to their personal routines and the output was perceived as contributing to running performance. CONCLUSIONS: Adoption of mHSM by competitive runners requires clear definitions of monitoring purpose and populations, repeated in practice tests of monitoring items and terminology, and meticulousness regarding data-sharing routines. Further naturalistic studies of mHSM use in routine sports practice settings are needed with nonfunctional ethical and legal issues included in the evaluation designs.

Fibronectin, MMP-1 and histologic changes in rotator cuff disease.

This study was designed to investigate human surgical specimens from patients with impingement (n = 16), ruptured supraspinatus tendons (n = 7), frozen shoulder (n = 2) and controls (n = 9) with respect to histological changes and the presence of fibronectin and Matrix metalloprotease-1 (MMP-1). The biopsy of the middle part of the supraspinatus tendons was analyzed microscopically after staining with hematoxyline eosin, Van Giesons hematoxyline and Phospho Tungstic Acid Hematoxyline for visualization of fibrin. Immunofluorescent stainings for fibronectin and MMP-1 were performed. Histology and immunofluorescence were assessed blindly. Necrotic tendinous tissue and fibrin were found only in some specimens from ruptures. The staining for fibronectin was significantly increased among patients with a rupture. MMP-1 was, however, only infrequently found in specimens from patients with impingement and ruptures. Fibrosis and thinning of fascicles seemed to be a more non-specific finding, appearing in control, impingement and rupture specimens. In conclusion, necrotic tendinous tissue, fibrin and fibronectin appear to be signs of tendon degeneration, whereas fibrosis and thinning of fascicles were found also in controls.

Intraoperative measurements of the subacromial distance.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was 2-fold: to document the accuracy of a new measuring device and to intraoperatively compare the subacromial distance between controls and patients with impingement syndrome before and after arthroscopic subacromial decompression (ASD). TYPE OF STUDY: Clinical study. METHODS: When performing an ASD, it is important that bone resection is adequate. Today the correct subacromial distance after bone resection is only assessed by eye, directly or indirectly. The subacromial distance was measured between the anterolateral corner of the acromion and the supraspinatus tendon in the lateral decubitus position. The device was inserted 2 to 3 cm below the anterolateral acromion. There was no subacromial pathology among the controls (n = 15, mean age, 28 years). In 30 patients with impingement syndrome (average age, 53 years) an ASD was performed. The subacromial distance was measured after bursectomy and then after bone resection. Intraindividual and interindividual assessment was performed. RESULTS: The mean value of the subacromial distance in controls was 16 mm, the 95% confidence limits between 14 and 18 mm. The mean value in the group of patients with impingement syndrome was 8 mm before and 16 mm after the decompression. Due to the pressure within the subacromial space, the subacromial distance increased 1 mm. Intraindividual measurements never varied more than 1 mm (n = 5). The correlation coefficient between the measurements by both authors was 0.99. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, we assessed and described the use of a measuring device that enables the surgeon to quantify the subacromial distance before and after bone resection. After bone resection, the mean value of the subacromial distance was well within the control values. The amount of bone resected varied from 5 to 13 mm. This new device enables documentation in clinical work as well as in research.

Nonoperative treatment of primary anterior shoulder dislocation in patients forty years of age and younger. a prospective twenty-five-year follow-up.

BACKGROUND: During 1978 and 1979, we initiated a prospective multicenter study to evaluate the results of nonoperative treatment of primary anterior shoulder dislocation. In the current report, we present the outcome after twenty-five years. METHODS: Two hundred and fifty-five patients (257 shoulders) with an age of twelve to forty years who had a primary anterior shoulder dislocation were managed with immobilization (achieved by tying the arm to the torso with use of a bandage) or without immobilization. All 227 living patients (229 shoulders) completed the follow-up questionnaire, and 214 patients completed the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) questionnaire. RESULTS: Ninety-nine (43%) of 229 shoulders had not redislocated, and seventeen (7%) redislocated once. Thirty-three recurrent dislocations had become stable over time (14.4%), and eighteen were considered to be still recurrent (7.9%). Sixty-two shoulders (27%) had undergone surgery for the treatment of recurrent instability. Immobilization after the primary dislocation did not change the prognosis. Only two of twenty-four shoulders with a fracture of the greater tuberosity at the time of the primary dislocation redislocated (p < 0.001). When shoulders with a fracture of the greater tuberosity were excluded, forty-four (38%) of 115 shoulders in patients who had been twelve to twenty-five years of age at the time of the original dislocation and sixteen (18%) of ninety shoulders in patients who had been twenty-six to forty years of age had undergone surgical stabilization. At twenty-five years, fourteen (23%) of sixty-two shoulders that had undergone surgical stabilization were in patients who subsequently had a contralateral dislocation, compared with seven (7%) of ninety-nine shoulders in patients in whom the index dislocation had been classified as solitary (p = 0.01). Gender and athletic activity did not appear to affect the redislocation rate; however, women had worse DASH scores than men did (p = 0.006). CONCLUSIONS: After twenty-five years, half of the primary anterior shoulder dislocations that had been treated nonoperatively in patients with an age of twelve to twenty-five years had not recurred or had become stable over time.