The Evidence for Common Nonsurgical Modalities in Sports Medicine, Part 2: Cupping and Blood Flow Restriction.

Objective: There are a number of nonsurgical modalities used by athletes in attempts to improve performance or prevent, treat, and rehabilitate musculoskeletal injuries. A concise review of available evidence on common nonsurgical modalities used today is necessary, so that practitioners may appropriately counsel patients.

Methods: A comprehensive review of relevant publications regarding cupping and blood flow restriction (BFR) from 2006 through 2019 was completed using PubMed and Google Scholar.

The Evidence for Common Nonsurgical Modalities in Sports Medicine, Part 1: Kinesio Tape, Sports Massage Therapy, and Acupuncture.

Objective: There are a number of nonsurgical modalities used by athletes in attempts to improve performance or prevent, treat, and rehabilitate musculoskeletal injuries. A concise review of available evidence on common nonsurgical modalities used today is necessary so that practitioners may appropriately counsel patients.

Methods: A comprehensive review of relevant publications regarding Kinesio taping, sports massage therapy, and acupuncture from 2006 through 2019 was completed using PubMed and Google Scholar.

Increasing Burden of Youth Baseball Elbow Injuries in US Emergency Departments.

Background: Youth athletes are starting sports earlier and training harder. Intense, year-round demands are encouraging early sports specialization under the perception that it will improve the odds of future elite performance. Unfortunately, there is growing evidence that early specialization is associated with increased risk of injury and burnout.

Fifty Most-cited Articles on Lateral Epicondylitis of the Elbow.

Introduction: Citation number can be used as a marker of a scientific article's influence. This study sought to determine and characterize the most-cited investigations on lateral epicondylitis and identify the most influential studies pertaining to this pathology.

Methods: The Institute for Scientific Information Web of Science database was queried for articles investigating lateral epicondylitis, and the 50 most-cited articles were selected.

Prevalence of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms Among Young Athletes After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Rupture.

Background: The risk of depression and the fear of reinjury were documented in recent investigations of patients after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) ruptures. The extent of psychological trauma accompanying these injuries among young athletes, however, has never been assessed.

Hypothesis: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms after ACL injury are present among young athletes with high athletic identities.

Elbow Arthroscopy for Treatment of Valgus Extension Overload.

Valgus extension overload syndrome (VEO) is the result of supraphysiologic stresses placed across the posterior elbow during pitching. Following failure of nonoperative measures, surgical options consist of arthroscopic or limited incision posteromedial decompression. Although technically challenging, arthroscopic treatment offers many advantages over open treatment, including improved joint visualization, decreased soft-tissue dissection, decreased postoperative pain, and quicker rehabilitation.

Quality and Variability of Online Physical Therapy Protocols for Isolated Meniscal Repairs.

The ideal meniscal repair postoperative rehabilitation protocol has yet to be determined. Further, patients are attempting to access health care content online at a precipitously increasing rate given the efficiency of modern search engines. The purpose of this investigation was to assess the quality and variability of meniscal repair rehabilitation protocols published online with the hypothesis that there would be a high degree of variability found across available protocols.

Ulnar Collateral Ligament Repair With Suture Augmentation.

Reconstruction of the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) remains the gold standard for treating overhead throwing athletes with valgus instability secondary to UCL pathology. Although surgical techniques for reconstruction have evolved over time, current methods allow 90% of patients to return to their preinjury level of activity. Despite encouraging results with reconstruction, UCL repair remains a valuable treatment option for patients with UCL pathology fitting specific criteria.

Arthroscopic Elbow Osteocapsular Arthroplasty.

Treatment of primary elbow osteoarthritis in the young active patient less than 50 years old presents a treatment challenge to the practicing orthopaedic surgeon. Following failure of nonoperative management, surgical goals are aimed at reducing pain and improving joint mobility from bony impingement. Arthroscopic osteocapsular arthroplasty is a viable treatment option with few post-operative limitations.

Elbow Arthroscopy: 30-Day Postoperative Complication Profile and Associated Risk Factors.

Purpose: To analyze (1) the incidence and type of complications after elbow arthroscopy, (2) the incidence of returning to the operating room (OR) after elbow arthroscopy, and (3) patient and risk factors for complications across a national surgical outcome database.

Methods: Patients who underwent elbow arthroscopy from January 2005 through December 2014 were identified in the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database by use of Current Procedural Terminology codes. Basic patient demographic data and medical comorbidities were recorded.

The Impact of Body Checking on Youth Ice Hockey Injuries.

Background: Body checking is a common cause of youth ice hockey injuries. Consequently, USA Hockey raised the minimum age at which body checking is permitted from the Pee Wee level (11-12 years old) to the Bantam level (13-14 years old) in 2011.

Purpose/hypothesis: The purpose of this investigation was to determine the impact of body checking on the distribution of injuries reported in youth ice hockey players.

The Youth Throwing Score: Validating Injury Assessment in Young Baseball Players.

Background: Epidemic levels of shoulder and elbow injuries have been reported recently in youth and adolescent baseball players. Despite the concerning frequency of these injuries, no instrument has been validated to assess upper extremity injury in this patient population. Purpose/Hypothesis: The purpose of this study was to validate an upper extremity assessment tool specifically designed for young baseball players.

Effect of femoral offset on pain and function after total hip arthroplasty.

The effects of altering patients' femoral offset (FO) during total hip arthroplasty on postoperative pain and function have not been well described. This study compared clinical outcomes as assessed by the Short Form 12 Health Survey and Western Ontario and McMaster University Osteoarthritis Index between patients who had their FOs restored to varying degrees (compared to the contralateral normal hip [CL]). We retrospectively measured postoperative FOs on standard anteroposterior pelvis radiographs and compared to the CL.

Unicompartmental knee arthroplasty relieves pain and improves function more than total knee arthroplasty.

This study compared outcomes as assessed by 12-item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-12) and Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) between patients who underwent unicompartmental (UKA) and patients who underwent total knee (TKA) arthroplasty. We prospectively collected preoperative demographic and SF-12 and WOMAC data on 128 TKAs and 70 UKAs. Postoperatively, SF-12 and WOMAC outcomes were recorded during annual follow-up visits.

Predicting need for allogeneic transfusion after total knee arthroplasty.

Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) can lead to substantial blood loss. To avoid the high costs of autologous blood predonation programs and efficiently allocate limited blood resources, we sought to identify preoperative and intraoperative factors associated with allogeneic blood transfusion (AllTx) after primary TKA and, subsequently, develop a model to predict patients who will require AllTx. We analyzed 31 independent variables in 644 primary unilateral TKAs without autologous blood predonation for requirement of AllTx.