Effect of introducing ultrasonography in medical examinations for elbow injuries among young baseball players.

Purpose: This study investigated the usefulness of ultrasonography in medical examinations for detecting elbow injuries, especially capitellar osteochondritis dissecans, among young baseball players.

Methods: Players with current or previous elbow joint pain were enrolled. Medical examinations (range of motion, tenderness, and stress tests) were performed with (2012-2016) or without (2007-2011) ultrasonography.

Injuries associated with Japanese high-school men's volleyball: a two-year survey and analysis.

[Purpose] There are many factors associated with sports injuries in volleyball that remain unclear; therefore, many of these injuries are still not being effectively prevented. This study aimed to help effectively prevent injuries among and provide conditioning guidance to participants of a high-school men's volleyball team. [Participants and Methods] The participants were 36 males of a high-school men's volleyball team, and the circumstances of injury occurrence, injury type, injury site, exposure time, and injury rate per 1,000 player-hours were evaluated among these participants.

Arthroscopic treatment of symptomatic lateral synovial plica of the knee.

Introduction: Synovial plicae are often observed when performing arthroscopic surgery, but their pathological nature and the necessity for treatment are still controversial. There are few reports regarding lateral synovial plicae because it is considered extremely rare. The purpose of this study was to report the clinical outcomes of athletes with symptomatic lateral synovial plicae who underwent arthroscopic surgery.

Psychological traits regarding competitiveness are related to the incidence of anterior cruciate ligament injury in high school female athletes.

Background: The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between psychological competitive ability and the incidence of noncontact ACL injuries among high school female athletes.

Methods: A three-year prospective cohort study was conducted using 300 15-year-old high school female athletes with no previous injuries or symptoms in their lower limbs (106 handball players and 194 basketball players). At baseline, their psychological competitive abilities were assessed using a self-administered questionnaire-the Diagnostic Inventory of Psychological Competitive Ability (DIPCA.

Adipose-Derived Regenerative Cells Promote Tendon-Bone Healing in a Rabbit Model.

Purpose: To evaluate the therapeutic effect of adipose-derived regenerative cell (ADRC) administration on tendon-bone healing in a rabbit anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction model.

Methods: ACL reconstruction with semitendinosus tendon autograft was performed in the right knees of adult white rabbits. Eighty rabbits were divided into 2 groups: the treatment group, in which the graft was coated with ADRCs mixed in a fibrin glue carrier during surgery, and the control group, in which the graft was coated with fibrin glue only.

Technique of anatomical single bundle ACL reconstruction with rounded rectangle femoral dilator.

Background: This study aimed to present a new technique for anatomical single bundle anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. We developed an original rounded rectangular dilator set to create rounded rectangular femoral tunnels. This technique can increase the femoral tunnel size without roof impingement, and has the potential to reduce the graft failure rate.

Grafted tendon healing in femoral and tibial tunnels after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.

Purpose: To evaluate tendon-to-bone healing after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction in the fibrous interzone (FIZ) of the femoral and tibial tunnels using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Methods: Five men and 5 women (mean age, 29 years) underwent arthroscopic ACL reconstruction by a single surgeon, using the semitendinosus and gracilis tendon. The tendon-to-bone healing in the FIZ was evaluated using sagittal and coronal MRI at 1, 3, 6, 9, 12, and 24 weeks, with the knee flexed at 60º and the tendon graft straight in both images.

Whole body muscle activity during the FIFA 11+ program evaluated by positron emission tomography.

Purpose: This study investigated the effect of the FIFA 11+ warm-up program on whole body muscle activity using positron emission tomography.

Methods: Ten healthy male volunteers were divided into a control group and a group that performed injury prevention exercises (The 11+). The subjects of the control group were placed in a sitting position for 20 min and 37 MBq of (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) was injected intravenously.

Outcomes and failure factors in surgical treatment for osteochondritis dissecans of the capitellum.

Background: Osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) of the capitellum is an intra-articular lesion and one of the leading causes of permanent elbow disability. The treatment of advanced capitellar OCD remains challenging because of the limited potential of the articular cartilage for self-repair. The purpose of this study was to investigate the outcome of surgical treatment for OCD of the capitellum.

Oblique coronal and oblique sagittal MRI for diagnosis of anterior cruciate ligament tears and evaluation of anterior cruciate ligament remnant tissue.

Background: The purpose of this study was to investigate the efficacy of additional oblique magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for the diagnosis of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear and evaluation of ACL remnant tissue.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the records of 54 knees. Three independent readers evaluated the MR images by the use of three methods: orthogonal sagittal images only (method A); orthogonal sagittal and additional oblique sagittal images (method B); and orthogonal sagittal and oblique coronal images (method C).

Relationship between the skeletal maturation of the distal attachment of the patellar tendon and physical features in preadolescent male football players.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to compare ultrasonography stages of the tibial tuberosity development and physical features.

Methods: This study examined 200 knees in 100 male football players aged 10-15 years. Tibial tuberosity development on ultrasonography was divided into 3 stages: Sonolucent stage (stage S), Individual stage (stage I), and Connective stage (stage C).

Roles of ACL remnants in knee stability.

Purpose: This study evaluated knee laxity in anterior tibial translation and rotation following removal of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) remnants using a computer navigation system.

Methods: This prospective study included 50 knees undergoing primary ACL reconstruction using a navigation system. ACL remnants were classified into four morphologic types: Type 1, bridging between the roof of the intercondylar notch and tibia; Type 2, bridging between the posterior cruciate ligament and tibia; Type 3, bridging between the anatomical insertions of the ACL on the lateral wall of the femoral condyle and the tibia; and Type 4, no bridging of ACL remnants.