Levels of Stress in Volleyball Referees During Official Matches-The Influence of the Referee Role and Level of Competition.

Volleyball referees, as athletes and staff members, are exposed to different stress levels which can be determined by measuring pre- and post-match levels of salivary cortisol (C) and alpha-amylase (AA). This study aimed to determine the dynamics of stress biomarkers in referees during official volleyball matches and the connection to the roles or level of competition. The participants in this study were nine international volleyball referees (three females and six males) with a mean chronological age of 48.

Patella Baja Revisited: Interposition of a Pedunculated Flap of the Hoffa Fat Pad to Treat Adhesions Between the Tibia and Patellar Tendon and Restore the Functional Length of the Patellar Tendon.

Adhesions in the deep infrapatellar region may occur as iatrogenic complications (e.g., after bone-patellar tendon-bone grafting), as part of arthrofibrosis or infrapatellar contracture syndrome, or owing to specific diseases such as Osgood-Schlatter disease.

Factors associated with stiff knee gait in patients with knee osteoarthritis.

Background: Stiff knee gait (SKG) is a common gait pattern in patients with knee osteoarthritis (KOA), characterized by reduced knee flexion excursion during gait. SKG can accelerate KOA progression; however, its underlying mechanisms and associated factors remain unclear. This study aimed to provide preliminary evidence on SKG-associated factors in patients with KOA.

Menstrual Blood as a Non-Invasive Alternative for Monitoring Vitamin Levels.

: Menstrual blood has recently emerged as a novel specimen for diagnostics, offering a non-invasive alternative to traditional blood testing methods. Despite the importance of vitamins and monitoring their levels in preventative healthcare measures, the feasibility of measuring them in menstrual blood has yet to be explored. In this study, we aimed to assess the potential of using menstrual blood for determining vitamin levels by comparing their levels in menstrual blood to those in matched capillary blood samples.

Relationship Between the Sagittal and Coronary Alignment of the Tibiofemoral Joint and the Medial Meniscus Extrusion in Knee Osteoarthritis.

: This study aims to clarify the reproducibility, validity, and accuracy of tibial external-rotation alignment evaluation using ultrasound imaging and to investigate the relationship between medial meniscus extrusion (MME) and tibiofemoral alignment in both the sagittal and coronal planes in knee osteoarthritis (OA). : Study 1 included 10 healthy participants. The tibial external-rotation angle was calculated using MRI.

Subjective Memory Complaints Related to Satisfaction With Meaningful Activities Among Community-Dwelling Older Adults.

Objective This study explores the relationship between subjective memory complaints (SMC) and satisfaction with meaningful activities among community-dwelling older adults. Methods Data were analyzed from 539 older adults without cognitive decline (mean age 74.6 ± 6.

Effect of Shoulder Flexion Range of Motion and Trunk Muscle Activity on Lumbar Lordosis in the Streamlined Posture in Healthy Young Men.

Objective This study aimed to compare the lumbar spine, pelvic alignment, and trunk muscle activity in healthy participants with and without shoulder flexion restriction in a streamlined posture. Methods The lumbar lordosis angle, pelvic anteversion angle, and trunk muscle activity were measured in 31 young, healthy men in the resting standing position. The streamlined (SL) posture and correlation analysis were performed.

A feasibility study on physical therapist interventions in the Japanese integrated health services and preventive care program for older adults.

[Purpose] This study examined the feasibility of including physical therapists in the Health Services and Preventive Care program at community gatherings. [Participants and Methods] The participants were 56 older adults from five community gatherings who did not have a long-term care insurance service. As part of the Health Services and Preventive Care program, interventions by physical therapists were conducted for 90 minutes once a month for 6 months at five community gatherings, which involved exercises, and home-based exercises.

Examination of the effect of physical therapy combined with kinesiology taping on pain and muscle weakness in patients with knee osteoarthritis.

[Purpose] Symptoms of knee osteoarthritis include pain, limited range of motion, and muscle weakness. Conservative treatment for knee osteoarthritis includes exercise therapy, physical therapy, and taping therapy. Kinesiology taping has gained traction in clinical practice for knee osteoarthritis treatment owing to its therapeutic benefits.

Bone-Patellar Tendon-Bone Versus Quadriceps Tendon-Bone Autografts in Anatomic Rectangular Tunnel Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction.

Background: Anatomic rectangular tunnel anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ART-ACLR) can mimic the fiber arrangement of the native ACL and restore normal knee biomechanics, compared with the conventional round tunnel ACLR. ART-ACLR using a bone-patellar tendon-bone (BPTB) graft can provide satisfactory clinical outcomes; however, some issues such as secondary ACL injury and donor-site morbidity, including postoperative anterior knee pain (AKP), remain to be solved. Due to these issues, quadriceps tendon-bone (QTB) grafts have recently become more popular.

Modifying the Glycocalyx of Melanoma Cells via Metabolic Glycoengineering Using -Acetyl-d-glucosamine Analogues.

Tumor cells are decorated with aberrant glycan structures on cell surfaces. It is well known that the glycocalyx serves as a main cellular regulator, although its role in cancer is still not completely understood. Over recent decades, several non-natural monosaccharides carrying clickable groups have been introduced in melanoma cells.

Verification of the superiority of radiofrequency irradiation with static stretching over static stretching alone for hamstring tightness.

Introduction: Healthy hamstring muscles are necessary for active living. Hamstring tightness is a widely reported problem among individuals from all levels of society. The effects of combining radiofrequency (RF) therapy with static stretching (SS) on hamstring tightness have not been investigated.

Anticholinergic use is associated with lower mortality but not increased hip fracture risk in Parkinson's disease patients: a retrospective cohort study.

Background: It is unclear whether antiparkinsonism anticholinergics (AAs) increase hip fracture (HFx) risk in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients. This study examined associations between AAs, HFx and mortality in PD using Taiwan's National Health Insurance Database.

Methods: Newly diagnosed PD patients ≥ 50yrs were categorized by AAs exposure: PD with AAs (≥ 90 days, n = 16,921), PD without AAs (never-exposed, n = 55,940), and demographically matched non-PD controls (n = 291,444).

Clinical usability and efficacy of a robotic bone fracture reduction system: A pilot animal study.

Challenges in minimally invasive surgeries, such as intramedullary nailing for long bone fractures, include radiation overexposure for patients and surgeons, potential malreduction, and physical burden on surgeons in maintaining the reduction status. A robotic bone fracture reduction system was developed in this study to address these problems. The system consists of a hexapod with six degrees of freedom, with a fracture reduction device and a master device.

A Novel Machine Learning Model to Predict Revision ACL Reconstruction Failure in the MARS Cohort.

Background: As machine learning becomes increasingly utilized in orthopaedic clinical research, the application of machine learning methodology to cohort data from the Multicenter ACL Revision Study (MARS) presents a valuable opportunity to translate data into patient-specific insights.

Purpose: To apply novel machine learning methodology to MARS cohort data to determine a predictive model of revision anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (rACLR) graft failure and features most predictive of failure.

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

Relationship Between the Axis of the Humeral Heads and the Spinal Sagittal Alignment in Asymptomatic Volunteers.

Background Currently, there is no known correlation between relevant parameters of respective non-adjacent spinal segments, which suggests the possibility of a third external factor. To our knowledge, no study has examined the humeral head position in consideration of spinal sagittal alignment.This study aims to establish new parameters related to the humeral head axis and evaluate the relationship between the axis of the humeral head and spinal sagittal alignment in asymptomatic volunteers.

Responsiveness of the P4, Patient Specific Functional Scale 2.0, Satisfaction and Recovery Index, and SF-12 in Patients With Musculoskeletal Disorders.

Background Recently, estimation of intervention effects has been recommended using minimum important change (MIC). This study aimed to investigate the responsiveness of the four-item pain intensity measure (P4), Patient Specific Functional Scale 2.0 (PSFS 2.

Center of Pressure in Relation to Foot Morphology and Knee Symptoms in Older Women With Medial Knee Joint Deformity: A Cross-sectional Study.

Objective: To examine the correlations amongst center of pressure (COP) trajectories, foot morphology, and knee symptoms in older women with medial knee deformity.

Design: This was a cross-sectional study.

Setting: Participants were recruited from 2 local orthopedic clinics.

Whipstitch and Locking Stitch Show Equivalent Elongation and Load to Failure Across 3 Suture Systems in a Biomechanical Model of Quadriceps Tendon Grafts for Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction.

Purpose: To compare the biomechanical properties of quadriceps tendon (QT) graft stitch methods using 3 different suture systems for anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.

Methods: A total of 48 QTs were harvested from cadaveric knee specimens (age: 73 ± 7 years; range, 66-86 years). Samples were randomly divided into 3 groups where different suture needle systems were used to create 2 stitch methods: whipstitch (WS) and locking stitch (LS).

Clinical effectiveness of baricitinib and abatacept in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Aim: The objective of this study was to compare the clinical effectiveness of baricitinib and abatacept in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Methods: This study included 274 patients treated with abatacept and 241 treated with baricitinib who were followed for >52 weeks. Potential treatment selection bias was addressed by using inverse probability of treatment weighting.

Surgical Predictors of Clinical Outcome 6 Years After Revision ACL Reconstruction.

Background: Revision anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction has been documented to have inferior outcomes compared with primary ACL reconstruction. The reasons why remain unknown.

Purpose: To determine whether surgical factors performed at the time of revision ACL reconstruction can influence a patient's outcome at 6-year follow-up.

Periosteal Stripping and Periosteal Division for Leg Length Discrepancy After Proximal Femoral Intertrochanteric Osteotomy for Perthes Disease.

Background and objective Periosteal stripping and periosteal division (PSPD) can help promote the growth of the long bone in children with leg length discrepancy (LLD). We performed PSPD in a cohort of patients when LLD was observed at the time of implant removal surgery after proximal femoral osteotomy for Perthes disease. This study aimed to clarify the efficacy and safety of PSPD for acquired LLD related to Perthes disease.

Correlation Between Muscle Strength, Swing Speed, Batting Statistics, and Body Composition Parameters in High School Baseball Players: A Retrospective Observational Study.

Suzuki, K, Mizoguchi, Y, Kimura, F, Fujisaki, K, Yokoyama, D, Hall, T, and Akasaka, K. Correlation between muscle strength, swing speed, batting statistics, and body composition parameters in high school baseball players: a retrospective observational study. J Strength Cond Res XX(X): 000-000, 2024-Body composition has emerged as a pivotal factor influencing baseball player performance.