Reliability of a Musculoskeletal Assessment for the Examination of Cervical Spine Pain and Injuries in Special Forces Combat Soldiers.

An assessment of protocol reliability is an essential step prior to human subject testing for injury prevention. The purpose of this study was to examine the inter-rater and intra-rater reliability of a portable cervical range of motion and isometric strength protocol designed for special forces combat soldiers who are at risk for cervical spine pain and injury due to exposure to head-supported mass. Eight individuals were tested three times to assess reliability, the standard error of the measurement (SEM), and the minimal detectable change across six range of motion measures and six strength measures of the cervical spine.

Sex-differences in psychological readiness for return-to-sport following anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.

Females are at greatest risk for reinjury after return to sport (RTS) following anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction (ACLR). The reasons for these sex differences, however, remain unclear. Psychological factors such as kinesiophobia have been identified as a potential predictor for reinjury following RTS.

Anterior Cruciate Ligament Return to Sport after Injury Scale (ACL-RSI) Scores over Time After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction: A Systematic Review with Meta-analysis.

Background: Psychological readiness is an important consideration for athletes and clinicians when making return to sport decisions following anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR). To improve our understanding of the extent of deficits in psychological readiness, a systematic review is necessary.

Objective: To investigate psychological readiness (measured via the Anterior Cruciate Ligament-Return to Sport after Injury scale (ACL-RSI)) over time after ACL tear and understand if time between injury and surgery, age, and sex are associated with ACL-RSI scores.

Throwing Shoulder Adaptations Are Not Related to Shoulder Injury or Pain: A Preliminary Report.

Background: Overhead throwing in baseball and softball athletes induces shoulder adaptations theorized to increase risk of shoulder musculoskeletal injury (MSI) and/or pain due to range of motion (ROM) deficits.

Hypothesis: Shoulder ROM adaptations are associated with a higher risk for developing shoulder MSI and pain.

Study Design: Prospective cohort study.

Ability of Countermovement Jumps to Detect Bilateral Asymmetry in Hip and Knee Strength in Elite Youth Soccer Players.

Clinicians frequently assess asymmetry in strength, flexibility, and performance characteristics as a method of screening for potential musculoskeletal injury. The identification of asymmetry in countermovement jumps may be an ideal method to reveal asymmetry in other lower extremity characteristics such as strength that otherwise may require additional testing, potentially reducing the time and burden on both the athlete and clinicians. The present study aims to examine the ability of asymmetry in both the single-leg and two-leg countermovement jump tests to accurately detect hip abduction, hip adduction, and eccentric hamstring strength asymmetry.

Force-plate derived predictors of lateral jump performance in NCAA Division-I men's basketball players.

A lateral jump assessment may provide unique benefits in sports such as basketball that require multidirectional performance optimization. This study aimed to examine selected force-plate derived metrics as predictors of lateral jump task distance in men's basketball players. Twenty-two NCAA Division-I men's basketball players (19.

What is the incidence of subsequent adjacent joint injury after patellofemoral pain?

Objective: To investigate the incidence of subsequent lumbar spine, hip, and ankle-foot injuries after a diagnosis of patellofemoral pain.

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Setting: Military Health System.

Isometric Knee Strength is Greater in Individuals Who Score Higher on Psychological Readiness to Return to Sport After Primary Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction.

Background: Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury is extremely common among athletes. Rate of second ACL injury due to surgical graft rupture or contralateral limb ACL injury is approximately 15-32%. Psychological readiness to return to sport (RTS) may be an important predictor of successful RTS outcomes.

Kinesiophobia, Knee Self-Efficacy, and Fear Avoidance Beliefs in People with ACL Injury: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: To improve the understanding of the psychological impacts of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury, a systematic review synthesizing the evidence on knee self-efficacy, fear avoidance beliefs and kinesiophobia following ACL injury is needed.

Objective: The aim of this systematic review was to investigate knee self-efficacy, fear avoidance beliefs and kinesiophobia following ACL injury, and compare these outcomes following management with rehabilitation alone, early and delayed ACL reconstruction (ACLR).

Methods: Seven databases were searched from inception to April 14, 2022.

Effect of Concussion on Reaction Time and Neurocognitive Factors: Implications for Subsequent Lower Extremity Injury.

Background: Recent evidence has demonstrated that athletes are at greater risk for a lower extremity injury following a return-to-sport (RTS) after sport-related concussion (SRC). The reason for this is not completely clear, but it has been hypothesized that persistent deficits in neurocognitive factors may be a contributing factor.

Hypothesis/purpose: This study assessed simple reaction time, processing speed, attention, and concentration in a group of athletes, post-concussion upon clearance for RTS for potential deficits that may result in slower reaction time, processing speed, attention, and concentration.

Females have Lower Knee Strength and Vertical Ground Reaction Forces During Landing than Males Following Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction at the Time of Return to Sport.

Purpose: There is a high rate of second anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury (ipsilateral graft or contralateral ACL) upon return-to-sport (RTS) following ACL reconstruction (ACLR). While a significant amount of epidemiological data exists demonstrating sex differences as risk factors for primary ACL injury, less is known about sex differences as potential risk factors for second ACL injury. The purpose of this study is to determine if there are sex-specific differences in potential risk factors for second ACL injury at the time of clearance for RTS.

The association between lower extremity strength ratios and the history of injury in collegiate athletes.

Context: Strength ratios are important because imbalances in opposing muscle groups can cause articular instability and subsequently increase the risk of musculoskeletal injury (MSKI). Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the association between lower extremity (LE) musculoskeletal isometric strength ratios and the history of LE MSKI.

Participants: One hundred eighty-two NCAA Division 1 soccer, football, volleyball, and basketball athletes.

Specificity of isokinetic assessment in noncontact knee injury prevention screening: A novel assessment procedure with relationships between variables in amateur adult agility-sport athletes.

Objectives: To present a new knee isokinetic assessment procedure linked to noncontact knee injury mechanisms and examine correlations between variables relevant to noncontact knee injury prevention screening (peak torque [PT, Nm], time-to-peak torque [TTPT, ms], angle-of-peak torque [APT, °], mean PT [MPT, Nm]).

Design: Cross-sectional.

Setting: Sports medicine laboratory.

Altered lower extremity biomechanics following anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction during single-leg and double-leg stop-jump tasks: A bilateral total support moment analysis.

Background: Injury to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) can lead to long-lasting biomechanical alterations that put individuals at risk of a second ACL injury. Examining the total support moment may reveal between- and within-limb compensatory strategies.

Methods: Twenty-six participants who were cleared to return to sport following ACL reconstruction were recruited.

Examining Sex Differences in Visual Reliance During Postural Control in Intercollegiate Athletes.

Background: Risk factors for different sports injuries vary between sexes. Deficits in postural stability have been associated with several lower extremity injuries. The purpose of this study was to examine the differences in static postural stability between male and female intercollegiate athletes with and without visual information.

Does sex affect second ACL injury risk? A systematic review with meta-analysis.

Objective: To determine sex-based differences in risk of a second ACL injury (overall and by laterality) following primary ACL reconstruction in athletes who are attempting to return to sport.

Design: Systematic review with meta-analysis.

Data Sources: Systematic search of five databases conducted in August 2019.

The Relationship Between Hip Strength and Postural Stability in Collegiate Athletes Who Participate in Lower Extremity Dominant Sports.

Background: Lower extremity (LE) injuries are common across many sports. Both core strength (including hip strength) deficits and poor postural stability have been linked to lower extremity (LE) injury. The relationship between these two characteristics is unknown.

Machine Learning to Predict Lower Extremity Musculoskeletal Injury Risk in Student Athletes.

Injury rates in student athletes are high and often unpredictable. Injury risk factors are not agreed upon and often not validated. Here, we present a random-forest machine learning methodology for identifying the most significant injury risk factors and develop a model of lower extremity musculoskeletal injury risk in student athletes with physical performance metrics spanning joint strength measured with force transducers, postural stability measured using a force plate, and flexibility, measured with a goniometer, combined with previous injury metrics and athlete demographics.

Examination of the Feasibility of a 2-Dimensional Portable Assessment of Knee Joint Stability: A Pilot Study.

Rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) remains extremely common, with over 250,000 injuries annually. Currently, clinical tests have poor utility to accurately screen for ACL injury risk in athletes. In this study, the position of a knee marker was tracked in 2-dimensional planes to predict biomechanical variables associated with ACL injury risk.

Upper Extremity Musculoskeletal Characteristics and the Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic Questionnaire Score in Collegiate Baseball Athletes.

Context: Upper extremity (UE) musculoskeletal injuries are common in baseball athletes due to the increased demand placed on the UE. The link between risk factors for UE musculoskeletal injuries and baseball athletes' perceived UE function and pain, as measured by the Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic (KJOC) questionnaire, is unclear.

Objective: To (1) describe the musculoskeletal characteristics of the UE (posture, range of motion, flexibility, and isometric strength) in a population of baseball athletes and (2) determine the predictive capability of UE musculoskeletal characteristics for the KJOC score in these athletes.

The Warrior Model for Human Performance Optimization.

Special Operations Combat Personnel (SOCP) face significant challenges and occupational demands that put them at significant risk for musculoskeletal injury. Musculoskeletal injury leads to lost-duty days, medical disqualification, and compromises operational readiness and mission success. Optimizing human performance and developing injury prevention strategies can position SOCP for success, but human performance optimization is a complex process that demands the integration of multiple disciplines to address a broad range of capabilities necessary for this success.

Hop Testing Lacks Strong Association With Key Outcome Variables After Primary Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction: A Systematic Review.

Background: Single-legged hop tests are commonly used assessments in return to sport (RTS) testing after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR). Although these tests are commonly used, their predictive validity has not yet been established.

Purpose: To determine the strength of association between hop testing and RTS, knee reinjury, subjective report of knee function, and posttraumatic knee osteoarthritis (PTOA) after primary ACLR.

Postural Stability Under Dual-Task Conditions: Development of a Post-Concussion Assessment for Lower-Extremity Injury Risk.

Context: Concussions are consequence of sports participation. Recent reports indicate there is an increased risk of lower-extremity musculoskeletal injury when returning to sport after concussion suggesting that achieving "normal" balance may not fully indicate the athlete is ready for competition. The increased risk of injury may indicate the need to refine a screening tool for clearance.

Point of Care Quantitative Assessment of Muscle Health in Older Individuals: An Investigation of Quantitative Muscle Ultrasound and Electrical Impedance Myography Techniques.

Muscle health is recognized for its critical role in the functionality and well-being of older adults. Readily accessible, reliable, and inexpensive methods of measuring muscle health are needed to advance research and clinical care. In this prospective, blinded study, 27 patients underwent quantitative muscle ultrasound (QMUS), standard electrical impedance myography (sEIM), and handheld electrical impedance myography (hEIM) of the anterior thigh musculature by two independent examiners.