Relationship between the cervical spine and impacts whilst heading the ball in adolescent male soccer players.

There has been considerable public concern regarding the effects of repetitive head impacts associated with heading the ball in soccer. This is relevant for adolescents whose brains are undergoing rapid development. The study investigated the relationship between strength, proprioception, endurance and range of motion of the cervical spine and impacts associated with heading the ball in adolescent male soccer players.

Neck strength deficit is a risk factor for concussion in high school rugby union and rugby league players.

Objectives: Primary prevention of concussions is a priority in contact sports, with growing interest in the role of neck strength in mitigating the risks of concussion. The aim of this study was to determine if neck function was associated with in-season concussions in adolescent rugby union and league athletes, and to establish clinical values to identify players with increased risk of sustaining a concussion.

Design: Prospective cohort study.

Decreased isometric neck strength is a risk factor for head, neck and face injuries in professional rugby league players.

Head, neck and face injuries are a concern in contact sports. This exploratory study aimed to establish 1) injury risk factors for head, neck and face injuries and 2) clinical cut-off values related to strength, endurance and proprioception of the cervical spine in a team of professional rugby league players. Pre-season assessments of isometric strength of the flexor, extensor and lateral flexor muscles, endurance of the flexor muscles and joint position error were conducted.

New insights into the impact of bed rest on lumbopelvic muscles: a computer-vision model approach to measure fat fraction changes.

Space agencies plan crewed missions to the Moon and Mars. However, microgravity-induced lumbopelvic deconditioning, characterized by an increased fat fraction (FF) due to reduced physical activity, poses a significant challenge to spine health. This study investigates the spatial distribution of FF in the lumbopelvic muscles to identify the most affected regions by deconditioning, utilizing a computer-vision model and a tile-based approach to assess FF changes.

MuscleMap: An Open-Source, Community-Supported Consortium for Whole-Body Quantitative MRI of Muscle.

Disorders affecting the neurological and musculoskeletal systems represent international health priorities. A significant impediment to progress in trials of new therapies is the absence of responsive, objective, and valid outcome measures sensitive to early disease changes. A key finding in individuals with neuromuscular and musculoskeletal disorders is the compositional changes to muscles, evinced by the expression of fatty infiltrates.

Altered Sensory Processing in People Attending Specialist Orthopaedic Consultation for Management of Persistent Shoulder Pain: An Observational Cross-Sectional Study.

The primary objective was to compare sensory processing measures in people attending specialist orthopaedic consultation for management of persistent shoulder pain with control participants. The secondary objective was to compare the groups' sociodemographic, clinical, general health and lifestyle, and psychological characteristics. Observational cross-sectional.

Exploring the relationship between trunk muscles and lower limb injuries in Australian badminton players.

Due to its dynamic nature, lower limb injuries are common in badminton. Overuse injuries of the knee, including tendon related conditions, are the most common. During jumping and landing, force transference and dissipation through the trunk is required, with the trunk muscles playing a vital role.

Is It Time to Step outside the Laboratory? The Feasibility of Field-Based Examination of Exercise-Induced Hypoalgesia in Elite Badminton Athletes with and without Knee Pain.

Aim: To investigate the feasibility of testing exercise-induced hypoalgesia (EIH) in a field setting. The effect of knee pain on EIH was also explored.

Design: Within-group pre-post design.

Mechanical energy flow analysis in athletes with and without anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction during single-leg drop landing.

Techniques that reduce mechanical energy have been linked to lower chances of experiencing an Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injury. Although there is evidence that movement patterns are altered in athletes who have undergone Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction (ACLR), energy transfer mechanisms have not been examined. This study aimed to compare energy flow mechanisms during single-leg drop landing between athletes with and without history of ACLR.

Association between physical activity and body posture: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective: To estimate the possible associations between posture and physical activity (PA).

Design: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Data Sources: The search was conducted in seven databases (PubMed, Web of Science, SportDiscus, EMBASE, Scopus, Cochrane Library, and CINAHL) for studies published from inception to January 2023.

Are clinical outcomes associated with baseline sensory profiles in people with musculoskeletal shoulder pain? Protocol for a prospective longitudinal observational study.

Background: Musculoskeletal shoulder pain is a common problem and its symptoms often become persistent. The experience of pain is multidimensional, and therefore, a range of patient characteristics may influence treatment response. An altered sensory processing has been associated with persistent musculoskeletal pain states and may contribute to outcomes in patients with musculoskeletal shoulder pain.

The association between size and symmetry of the lumbar multifidus muscle, and injuries in adolescent rugby union players.

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the association between size and symmetry of the lumbar multifidus muscle, and season injuries in adolescent rugby union players.

Design: Prospective longitudinal cohort study.

Setting: Pre-season assessment of the size (cross-sectional area) of the lumbar multifidus (L2-5) muscles using ultrasound imaging.

Physiotherapy practices when treating patients with COVID-19 during a pandemic: A survey study.

Background Specific details pertaining to the clinical and other challenges faced by physiotherapists managing patients with COVID-19 during the pandemic are still largely unknown. Objectives To determine how physiotherapists clinically managed patients with COVID-19 in a hospital-based setting during the pandemic and to identify the personal and professional effects of working as a physiotherapist at this time. Methods Self-administered electronic cross-sectional survey.

Evaluation of the vestibular/ocular motor screening assessment in active combat sport athletes: an exploratory study.

Objective: The first aim of this study was to compare the results of the vestibular/ocular motor screening (VOMS) in combat sport athletes with a healthy control population. Second, to explore differences between athletes with and without a concussion history. Third, to examine the relationship between VOMS and the Post-Concussion Symptom Scale (PCSS) in combat sport athletes.

Effect of Motor Control Training on Trunk Muscle Morphometry, Pain, and Disability in People With Chronic Low Back Pain: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Objective: The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to study the effects of motor control training (MCT) on trunk muscle morphometry measured by ultrasound imaging and pain and disability in individuals with chronic low back pain.

Methods: PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and Cochrane Library databases were searched from study inception until January 2021. Randomized control trials evaluating both muscle morphometry and pain or disability in individuals with chronic low back pain were included.

Nordic strength and history of hamstring injury in Australian Football League players.

Objectives: Compare hamstring strength between Australian Football League (AFL) players with and without a prior hamstring injury and determine the effect of the number of previous hamstring injuries, time since the last injury, and injury severity, on hamstring strength.

Design: Cross-sectional, retrospective.

Setting: AFL clubs.

The Effects of Reconditioning Exercises Following Prolonged Bed Rest on Lumbopelvic Muscle Volume and Accumulation of Paraspinal Muscle Fat.

Reduced muscle size and accumulation of paraspinal muscle fat content (PFC) have been reported in lumbopelvic muscles after spaceflights and head-down tilt (HDT) bed rest. While some information is available regarding reconditioning programs on muscle atrophy recovery, the effects on the accumulation of PFC are unknown. Recently, a device (the Functional Re-adaptive Exercise Device-FRED) has been developed which aims to specifically recruit lumbopelvic muscles.

Relationship between the morphology and composition of the lumbar paraspinal and psoas muscles and lumbar intervertebral motion in chronic low-back pain: An exploratory study.

Muscles of the lumbar spine play an important role in controlling segmental intervertebral motion. This study aimed to evaluate the association between lumbar intervertebral motion and changes in lumbar morphology/composition in people with chronic low-back pain (CLBP). A sample of 183 patients with CLBP participated in this cross-sectional study.

Vestibular and oculomotor function in male combat sport athletes.

Objectives: To investigate for differences in vestibulo-ocular function between active male combat sport athletes and a healthy control group. In addition, to explore the relationship between symptom-based outcome measures with vestibulo-ocular function.

Design: Cross-sectional.

Sensorimotor system changes in adolescent rugby players post-concussion: A prospective investigation from the subacute period through to return-to-sport.

Background: The pathophysiology of concussion is complex. Altered sensorimotor function post-concussion may contribute to the wide range of symptoms and impairments reported. There is currently limited evidence documenting changes in sensorimotor function during the recovery period.

Trunk muscle size and function in volleyball players with and without injuries to the head, neck and upper limb.

Objective: To investigate trunk muscle size and function in elite and community volleyball players with and without a history of head, neck or upper limb injury.

Design: Cross-sectional observational study.

Setting: Volleyball training camp or training sessions.

Gluteal Muscle Atrophy and Increased Intramuscular Lipid Concentration Are Not Mitigated by Daily Artificial Gravity Following 60-Day Head-Down Tilt Bed Rest.

Exposure to spaceflight and head-down tilt (HDT) bed rest leads to decreases in the mass of the gluteal muscle. Preliminary results have suggested that interventions, such as artificial gravity (AG), can partially mitigate some of the physiological adaptations induced by HDT bed rest. However, its effect on the gluteal muscles is currently unknown.

Intramuscular lipid concentration increased in localized regions of the lumbar muscles following 60 day bedrest.

Background Context: Prolonged bedrest induces accumulation of intramuscular lipid concentration (ILC) in the lumbar musculature; however, spatial distribution of ILC has not been determined. Artificial gravity (AG) mitigates some adaptations induced by 60 day bedrest by creating a head-to-feet force while participants are in a supine position.

Purpose: To quantify the spatial distribution of accumulation of ILC in the lumbar musculature after 60 day bedrest, and whether this can be mitigated by AG exposure.

Alteration of lumbar muscle morphology and composition in relation to low back pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background Context: Previous studies have proposed that there is a relationship between low back pain (LBP) and morphology and composition of paraspinal muscles. However, results have been conflicting, especially regarding fatty infiltration of muscles.

Purpose: The primary goal of this study was to review and analyze results from imaging studies which investigated morphological and composition changes in the multifidus, erector spinae and psoas major muscles in people with LBP.