Epidemiologic trends in hand injuries in the National Football League from 2009-2010 to 2019-2020.

Objectives: In American football, hand injuries have been shown to negatively impact performance. The purpose of this study is to characterize the prevalence and severity of hand injuries in National Football League (NFL) players.

Methods: A public online database was utilized to identify hand injuries in NFL players from 2009-2010 to 2019-2020.

Mechanical and Microstructural Properties of Meniscus Roots Vary by Location.

Background: Despite the growing awareness of the clinical significance of meniscus root tears, there are relatively limited biomechanical and microstructural data available on native meniscus roots that could improve our understanding of why they are injured and how to best treat them.

Purpose/hypothesis: The purpose of the study was to measure the material and microstructural properties of meniscus roots using mechanical testing and quantitative polarized light imaging. The hypothesis was that these properties vary by location (medial vs lateral, anterior vs posterior) and by specific root (anteromedial vs anterolateral, posteromedial vs posterolateral).

Fascicular elastin within tendon contributes to the magnitude and modulus gradient of the elastic stress response across tendon type and species.

Elastin, the main component of elastic fibers, has been demonstrated to significantly influence tendon mechanics using both elastin degradation studies and elastinopathic mouse models. However, it remains unclear how prior results differ between species and functionally distinct tendons and, in particular, how results translate to human tendon. Differences in function between fascicular and interfascicular elastin are also yet to be fully elucidated.

Mechanical properties and microstructural organization of common ulnar collateral ligament grafts: Palmaris longus and gracilis tendons.

Ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) injuries are becoming increasingly common. The palmaris longus (PL) and gracilis (GR) tendons are the most common grafts used in UCL reconstructions. While clinical studies have demonstrated relatively similar outcomes for either graft, there is little quantitative data describing these grafts from a material perspective, specifically the mechanical and microstructural properties of these tissues and how they respond under dynamic loading.