Four-Week Ankle-Rehabilitation Programs in Adolescent Athletes With Chronic Ankle Instability.

Context: Researchers have shown that rehabilitation programs incorporating resistance-band and balance-board exercises are effective for improving clinical measures of function and patient-reported outcomes in individuals with chronic ankle instability (CAI). However, whether combining the 2 exercises increases improvement is unknown.

Objective: To determine the effectiveness of 3 rehabilitation programs on clinical measures of balance and self-reported function in adolescent patients with CAI.

Effects of College Athlete Life Stressors on Baseline Concussion Measures.

Context: Concussion baseline testing helps injury evaluation by allowing postinjury comparisons to preinjury measures. To facilitate best practice, common neurocognitive, balance, and symptom report metrics used in concussion baseline testing merit examination relative to participant life stressors.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine if life stressors are associated with college athlete neurocognitive function, postural control, and symptom scores at preseason baseline assessment.

Acute Thermotherapy Prevents Impairments in Cutaneous Microvascular Function Induced by a High Fat Meal.

We tested the hypothesis that a high fat meal (HFM) would impair cutaneous vasodilation, while thermotherapy (TT) would reverse the detrimental effects. Eight participants were instrumented with skin heaters and laser-Doppler (LD) probes and tested in three trials: control, HFM, and HFM + TT. Participants wore a water-perfused suit perfused with 33°C (control and HFM) or 50°C (HFM + TT) water.

Trunk and Lower Extremity Kinematics During Stair Descent in Women With or Without Patellofemoral Pain.

Context: There is limited evidence indicating the contribution of trunk kinematics to patellofemoral pain (PFP). A better understanding of the interaction between trunk and lower extremity kinematics in this population may provide new avenues for interventions to treat PFP.

Objective: To compare trunk and lower extremity kinematics between participants with PFP and healthy controls during a stair-descent task.

Neuromuscular fatigue alters postural control and sagittal plane hip biomechanics in active females with anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.

Background: Females with history of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury and subsequent ligament reconstruction are at high risk for future ACL injury. Fatigue may influence the increased risk of future injury in females by altering lower extremity biomechanics and postural control.

Hypothesis: Fatigue will promote lower extremity biomechanics and postural control deficits associated with ACL injury.

Anterior cruciate ligament injury alters preinjury lower extremity biomechanics in the injured and uninjured leg: the JUMP-ACL study.

Background: Information as to how anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury and reconstructive surgery (ACLR) alter lower extremity biomechanics may improve rehabilitation and return to play guidelines, reducing the risk for repeat ACL injury.

Aim: To compare lower extremity biomechanics before ACL injury and after subsequent ACLR for the injured and uninjured leg.

Methods: Baseline unilateral lower extremity biomechanics were collected on the dominant leg of participants without ACL injury when they entered the Joint Undertaking to Monitor and Prevent ACL (JUMP-ACL) study.

Outcomes, utility, and feasibility of single task and dual task intervention programs: preliminary implications for post-concussion rehabilitation.

Objectives: To examine neurocognitive and balance performance in recreational athletes, prior to and following a dual-task training intervention compared to single-task controls in order to assess the utility and feasibility of these interventions in the clinical setting.

Design: Controlled laboratory study.

Methods: Thirty healthy, physically active recreational athletes (dual-task group = 15; single-task group = 15; age: 20.

Trunk and hip biomechanics influence anterior cruciate loading mechanisms in physically active participants.

Background: Excessive trunk motion and deficits in neuromuscular control (NMC) of the lumbopelvic hip complex are risk factors for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury. However, the relationship between trunk motion, NMC of the lumbopelvic hip complex, and triplanar knee loads during a sidestep cutting task has not been examined.

Purpose: To determine if there is an association between multiplanar trunk motion, NMC of the lumbopelvic hip complex, and triplanar knee loads with ACL injury during a sidestep cutting task.

The influence of hip strength on gluteal activity and lower extremity kinematics.

The effects of hip muscle strength and activation on anterior cruciate ligament injury biomechanics, particularly knee valgus loading, have been reported in isolation and with equivocal results. However, the combination of these factors influences joint biomechanics. This investigation evaluated the influence of hip strength on gluteal activation and knee valgus motion.

The association between lower extremity energy absorption and biomechanical factors related to anterior cruciate ligament injury.

Background: Greater total energy absorption by the lower extremity musculature during landing may reduce stresses placed on capsuloligamentous tissues with differences in joint contributions to energy absorption potentially affecting anterior cruciate ligament injury risk. However, the relationships between energy absorption and prospectively identified biomechanical factors associated with non-contact anterior cruciate ligament injury have yet to be demonstrated.

Methods: Sagittal plane total, hip, knee and ankle energy absorption, and peak vertical ground reaction force, anterior tibial shear force, knee flexion and knee valgus angles, and internal hip extension and knee varus moments were measured in 27 individuals (14 females, 13 males) performing double leg jump landings.

Reliability and interpretation of single leg stance and maximum voluntary isometric contraction methods of electromyography normalization.

Normalization of electromyographic (EMG) amplitudes is necessary in the study of human motion. However, there is a lack of agreement on the most reliable and appropriate normalization method. This study evaluated the reliability of single leg stance (SLS) and maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) normalization methods and the relationship between these measures for the gluteus maximus (GMax), gluteus medius (GMed), rectus femoris (RF), vastus lateralis (VL), hip adductor group (ADD), and biceps femoris (BF).

Influence of humeral torsion on interpretation of posterior shoulder tightness measures in overhead athletes.

Objective: To measure the influence of humeral torsion on interpretation of clinical indicators of posterior shoulder tightness in overhead athletes.

Design: Cross-sectional control group comparison.

Setting: A university-based sports medicine research laboratory.