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.
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.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSpace 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.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDisorders 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.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe 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.
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