Prevalence of and Risk Factors for Back Pain Among Young Male Conscripts During Compulsory Finnish Military Service.

Introduction: Back pain is a major reason for sick leaves and disability pension in primary health care. The prevalence of back pain among adolescents and young adults is believed to be increasing, and back pain during military service predicts unspecified back pain during later life. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence and risk factors of back pain among conscripts in compulsory Finnish military service during the period 1987-2005.

Regular physical exercise before entering military service may protect young adult men from fatigue fractures.

Background: Bone stress fractures are overuse injuries commonly encountered in sports and military medicine. Some fatigue fractures lead to morbidity and loss of active, physically-demanding training days. We evaluated the incidence, anatomical location, risk factors, and preventive measures for fatigue fractures in young Finnish male conscripts.

Incidence and Risk Factors of Foot and Ankle Disorders in Male Finnish Conscripts.

Introduction: Many studies focusing on musculoskeletal disorders or injuries have been performed in countries where the army is recruited as volunteers. Little is known about foot and ankle disorders among young men in conscript armies.

Materials And Methods: We studied the incidence and risk factors of foot and ankle disorders in 4,029 Finnish army male conscripts of the same age among five different cohorts born in 1969, 1974, 1979, 1984, or 1989.

Incidence and risk factors of exercise-related knee disorders in young adult men.

Background: Musculoskeletal disorders and injuries are common causes of morbidity and loss of active, physically demanding training days in military populations. We evaluated the incidence, diagnosis, and risk factors of knee disorders and injuries in male Finnish military conscripts.

Methods: The study population comprised 5 cohorts of 1000 men performing their military service, classified according to birth year (1969, 1974, 1979, 1984, and 1989).

Long-term outcome after surgical treatment of unresolved Osgood-Schlatter disease in young men.

Background: Surgical treatment of Osgood-Schlatter disease is occasionally warranted, but its long-term prognosis remains poorly investigated. We studied the rate of occurrence of surgical treatment of unresolved Osgood-Schlatter disease as well as the clinical course, radiographic characteristics, and long-term outcomes after that treatment in a large population of military recruits.

Methods: During a thirteen-year period, 178 consecutive recruits underwent surgery for unresolved Osgood-Schlatter disease, and 107 of them (117 knees) who met the inclusion criteria participated in a follow-up examination.

Excision of painful bipartite patella: good long-term outcome in young adults.

Unlabelled: Excision of the accessory bipartite fragment is widely used, but its long-term outcome is not known. We evaluated the outcome after surgical excision of a symptomatic accessory bipartite or multipartite patella fragment in young adult men performing their compulsory military service and determined the incidence of painful bipartite patellae in this group of skeletally mature adults. We followed 25 of 32 patients for a minimum of 10 years (mean, 15 years; range, 10-22 years).

Comparison of bioabsorbable pins and nails in the fixation of adult osteochondritis dissecans fragments of the knee: an outcome of 30 knees.

Background: The optimal device for the fixation of osteochondritis dissecans fragments of the knee remains controversial and lacks long-term results.

Purpose: To review a group of young adults with osteochondritis dissecans of the knee treated with arthroscopic fixation of the fragment using bioabsorbable pins and nails and to examine the medium-term outcome of the fixation via magnetic resonance imaging and clinical evaluation.

Study Design: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3.

Obstructed pancreaticojejunostomy partly explains exocrine insufficiency after pancreatic head resection.

Objective: The majority of patients with long-term survival after pancreatic head resection suffer from pancreatic exocrine insufficiency. The objective of this study was to investigate whether this is due to glandular malfunction or obstructed pancreaticojejunal anastomosis.

Material And Methods: Twenty-six patients (10 M, 16 F, mean age 61 years, range 34-81 years) were re-examined a median of 52 months (range 3-76 months) after pancreatic head resection and end-to-end invaginated pancreaticojejunostomy.