Proximal rectus femoris avulsion in an elite, olympic-level sprinter.

Quadriceps injuries, ranging from simple strains to disabling muscle ruptures, are common athletic injuries. The rectus femoris is the most commonly injure portion of the quadriceps musculature. This article is, to our knowledge, the first report of a proximal rectus femoris avulsion in an elite, Olympic-level 100-meter sprinter, acutely managed with surgical repair.

Floating patella: combined quadriceps tendon, retinacula, and patellar tendon ruptures in a high-performance elite athlete.

Simultaneous quadriceps and patellar tendon rupture is rare. To our knowledge, we present the first known case of simultaneous quadriceps tendon, patella tendon, and retinacula rupture in the ipsilateral knee of a high-performance elite athlete. This disabling injury in the active person results in an inability to actively obtain and maintain full knee extension.

Catastrophic neck injuries in the collision sport athlete.

Catastrophic neck injury is defined as a structural distortion of the cervical spinal column associated with actual (or potential) damage to the spinal cord. Although uncommon, this type of traumatic injury can lead to severe neurologic sequelae in the collision sport athlete. Emergency care is complicated by the helmet and shoulder pads worn by the athlete.

Proximity of the lateral talar process to the lateral stabilizing ligaments of the ankle and subtalar joint.

Background: Fractures of the lateral process of the talus have become more frequent as the sport of snowboarding has gained popularity. The anatomy of the ligamentous attachments to the process has been described, but ligament proximity to the lateral talar process has never been specified. The objective of this cadaver study was to measure the proximity of the lateral talar process to the various lateral stabilizing ligaments of the ankle and subtalar joint: the anterior talofibular ligament, lateral talocalcaneal ligament, posterior talofibular ligament, interosseous ligament, cervical ligament, and lateral root of the extensor retinaculum.

The diagnostic value of MRI in foot and ankle surgery.

Background: MRI is being used with increasing frequency and seems to have become more popular as a screening tool rather than as an adjunct to narrow specific diagnoses or plan operative interventions. Our hypothesis was that the rising accessibility of this test may be resulting in its overuse.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 221 consecutive patients referred over a 3-month period for treatment of a lower extremity problem to determine: (1) the number of patients who presented with an MRI already obtained from an outside source, (2) the number of patients who obtained an MRI from the foot and ankle specialist after referral, and (3) the number of times the foot and ankle specialist used these studies or found them helpful in the care of the patient.