Sports Injury Cases Research Articles

Arthroscopic suspension fixation with Endobutton in treatment of tibial insertion avulsion fractures of posterior cruciate ligament

To investigate the effectiveness of arthroscopic suspension fixation with Endobutton in the treatment of tibial insertion avulsion fractures of posterior cruciate ligament (PCL). A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 52 patients (52 knees) with tibial insertion avulsion fractures of PCL, who were treated by arthroscopic suspension fixation with Endobutton between June 2017 and October 2022. There were 29 males and 23 females, with an average age of 40.6 years (range, 19-66 years). There were 24 cases of traffic accident injuries, 17 cases of sports injuries, and 11 cases of fall injuries. The time from injury to operation ranged from 6 to 19 days (mean, 13.3 days). According to the Meyers-McKeever classification, there were 30 cases of type Ⅱ and 22 cases of type Ⅲ fractures. All patients exhibited positive posterior drawer test results. Preoperative knee joint function was assessed with Lysholm score (21.3±6.7), International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) score (20.7±5.8), and visual analogue scale (VAS) score (5.3±0.7); and knee joint range of motion was (41.73±3.17)°. Based on preoperative CT three-dimensional reconstruction measurements, the longitudinal diameter of the avulsed bone fragment ranged from 13 to 25 mm (mean, 18.1 mm). Operation time and occurrence of complications were recorded, and postoperative imaging was used to assess fracture healing. Knee joint function and pain severity were evaluated using knee joint range of motion, Lysholm score, IKDC score, and VAS score. The operation time ranged from 46 to 81 minutes (mean, 56.2 minutes). All patients were followed up 12-28 months (mean, 20.1 months). The iatrogenic fractures of bone fragments occurred during operation in 4 cases; and knee effusion occurred in 2 cases and anterior knee pain in 1 case after operation. All incisions healed by first intention. Imaging evaluations at 3 months after operation showed the fracture healing and no internal fixation failure. All patients demonstrated good knee function and had returned to normal activities at 12 months after operation. At last follow-up, the knee joint range of motion was (133.44±4.17)°, Lysholm score 93.6±3.1, IKDC score 93.4±2.5, and VAS score 1.0±0.6, with significant differences compared to preoperative scores ( P<0.05). Arthroscopic suspension fixation with Endobutton in the treatment of tibial insertion avulsion fractures of PCL is simple to operate, and the knee joint function recovers well.

Effectiveness on treatment of metacarpal avulsion fracture with Kirschner wire buckling combined with bone fixation

To summarize the effectiveness of Kirschner wire buckling combined with bone fixation in the treatment of metacarpal avulsion fracture. The clinical data of 35 patients of metacarpal avulsion fracture admitted between March 2017 and June 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. There were 22 males and 13 females; the age ranged from 20 to 55 years, with an average of 31.6 years. There were 17 cases of the second metacarpal avulsion fracture, 6 cases of the fourth metacarpal avulsion fracture, and 12 cases of the fifth metacarpal avulsion fracture. The causes of injury included 21 cases of strangulation, 8 cases of sprain, and 6 cases of sports injury. X-ray film examination showed that the size of the avulsion fracture of metacarpal bone ranged from 0.30 cm×0.20 cm to 0.55 cm×0.45 cm. The total active motion (TAM) of the injured finger before operation was (154.00±17.38)°. The time from injury to operation was 3-10 days, with an average of 5.8 days. Follow-up regularly after operation, X-ray film and CT examination were performed to evaluate fracture healing and TAM of injured finger was measured. The finger function was evaluated by the trial standard of upper limb function evaluation of Hand Surgery Society of Chinese Medical Association. All the incisions healed by first intention. All 35 patients were followed up 9-36 months, with an average of 28 months. All metacarpal avulsion fractures achieved bony healing, and the healing time was 4-6 weeks, with an average of 4.8 weeks. The metacarpophalangeal joint of the patient was stable, without stiffness, and the flexion and extension activities were good. At last follow-up, the TAM of the injured finger reached (261.88±6.23)°, which was significantly different from that before operation ( t=-35.351, P<0.001). The finger function was evaluated according to the trial standard of upper limb function evaluation of the Society of Hand Surgery of Chinese Medical Association, and 33 cases were excellent and 2 cases were good, with an excellent and good rate of 100%. The treatment of metacarpal avulsion fracture with Kirschner wire buckling combined with bone fixation has the advantages of less trauma, firm fixation, and less interference to the soft tissue around metacarpophalangeal joints, which is a good alternative method for the metacarpal avulsion fracture.

Treatment of tibial insertion avulsion fracture of anterior cruciate ligament involving anterior root of lateral meniscus with multi-point fixation with anchor and suture

To investigate the effectiveness of arthroscopic multi-point fixation with anchor and suture in the treatment of tibial insertion avulsion fracture of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) involving the anterior root of lateral meniscus (LM). A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 28 patients with tibial insertion avulsion fracture of ACL involving the anterior root of LM who were treated with arthroscopic multi-point fixation with anchor and suture between October 2017 and January 2023. There were 12 males and 16 females with the mean age of 26 years (range, 13-57 years). There were 20 cases of sports injury and 8 cases of traffic accident injury. In 2 cases of old fracture, the time from injury to operation was 45 days and 90 days, respectively; in 26 cases of fresh fracture, the time from injury to operation was 3-20 days (mean, 6.7 days). According to the Meyers-McKeever classification, there were 4 cases of type Ⅱ, 11 cases of type Ⅲ, and 13 cases of type Ⅳ. The preoperative Lysholm knee function score was 42.1±9.0, the International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) score was 40.0±7.3, and the Tegner score was 0.7±0.7. All operations were successfully completed, and the incisions healed by first intention. All the 28 patients were followed up 5-60 months (mean, 20.4 months). During the follow-up, there was nocomplication such as infection, vascular or nerve injury, loosening or breakage of internal fixator, or stiffness of knee joint. Postoperative X-ray films showed satisfactory fracture reduction and firm fixation. All fractures healed clinically, and the healing time was 8-16 weeks (mean, 10.3 weeks). At last follow-up, Lachman test and anterior drawer test were negative. At last follow-up, Lysholm knee function score was 92.4±5.5, IKDC score was 91.6±4.4, and Tegner score was 5.2±1.1, which significantly improved when compared with preoperative scores ( t=-22.899, P<0.001; t=-29.870, P<0.001; t=-19.979, P<0.001). Multi-point fixation with anchor and suture in the treatment of tibial insertion avulsion fracture of ACL involving the anterior root of LM can not only fix the LM, but also effectively reduce and fix the avulsion fracture, which can obtain good effectiveness.

Application of percutaneous transcalcaneal reconstruction technique for acute Achilles tendon insertion avulsion

To introduce a percutaneous transcalcaneal reconstruction technique for the treatment of acute Achilles tendon insertion avulsion, and to assess its short-term effectiveness. Between January 2014 and June 2020, 25 patients with acute Achilles tendon insertion avulsion were treated with the percutaneous transcalcaneal reconstruction technique. There were 24 males and 1 female, with an average age of 44.1 years (range, 34-60 years). The disease duration was 1-5 days (mean, 1.8 days). There were 23 cases of sports injury and 2 cases of fall injury. The preoperative American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) ankle-hindfoot score was 55.6±6.7 and the visual analogue scale (VAS) score was 4.6±0.5. The operation time, intraoperative blood loss, hospital stay, related complications, the time of weight-bearing standing with a slightly raised heel, and the time of walking with a slightly raised heel were recorded. The AOFAS ankle-hindfoot score and the VAS score were used to evaluate the ankle joint function and the pain. Achilles tendon continuity was examined by color Doppler ultrasonography and healing of the Achilles tendon was examined by MRI. At last follow-up, the Arner-Lindholm scale was used to evaluate the effectiveness. The operation time was 45-50 minutes (mean, 46.8 minutes). The intraoperative blood loss was 10-20 mL (mean, 13.8 mL). The hospital stay was 4-6 days (mean, 4.9 days). The color Doppler ultrasonography before discharge showed the continuous recovery of the Achilles tendon. All incisions healed by first intention, and there was no complication such as sural nerve injury or deep venous thrombosis of lower extremity. All patients were followed up 15-50 months (mean, 30.3 months). After 14-21 days, the patients started to weight-bearing stand with a slightly raised heel, with an average of 17.6 days; they began to walk with a slightly raised heel at 20-28 days, with an average of 23.7 days. MRI showed that the Achilles tendon healed at last follow-up. The AOFAS score was 90.0±3.2 at 6 months after operation and 95.8±4.5 at last follow-up, and the VAS scores were 1.7±0.6 at 6 months and 1.0±0.8 at last follow-up, which were all improved when compared with those before operation (P<0.05); the difference was also significant between the two time points after operation (P<0.05). According to the Arner-Lindholm scale, the effectiveness at last follow-up was excellent in 25 cases. All patients had returned to sports. The percutaneous transcalcaneal reconstruction technique is a promising alternative option in treating acute Achilles tendon insertion avulsion, for it can achieve early rehabilitation and better ankle function recovery.

Clinical application of arthroscopic automatic reverse guide wire passer in posterior meniscus root reconstruction

To explore the application value and operation skills of arthroscopic automatic reverse guide wire passer (hereinafter referred to as wire passer) in the posterior meniscus root reconstruction. Between August 2015 and December 2020, 36 patients with posterior meniscus root tears were admitted. There were 16 males and 20 females, with an average age of 46 years (range, 26-66 years). There were 15 cases of sports injury and 21 cases of degenerative injury. The disease duration was 3-180 days, with a median of 28 days. The posterior root of the medial meniscus was injured in 29 cases, and the posterior root of the lateral meniscus was injured in 7 cases. The preoperative Lysholm score of the knee joint was 47.6±3.9, and the International Knee Score Committee (IKDC) score was 39.3±3.0. The meniscus was sutured by using wire passer under arthroscopy. During operation, the suture operation was evaluated according to the self-defined evaluation standard. Lysholm score and IKDC score were used to evaluate knee joint function. All meniscuses were sutured successfully by using wire passer. The operation time of suture was 5-15 minutes, with an average of 10 minutes. According to the self-defined evaluation standard, the suture operation was scored as 0-10, with an average of 5. After operation, except for 2 cases of incision fat liquefaction, the incisions of the other patients healed by first intention. All patients were followed up 1-3 years, with an average of 1.5 years. The Lysholm score was 88.2±2.1 and the IKDC score was 51.7±2.3 at 1 year after operation, showing significant difference when compared with preoperative ones ( P<0.001). Fifteen cases underwent MRI re-examination, the results showed that the continuity and integrity of the posterior root had been restored. Under arthroscopy, the wire passer for the posterior meniscus root reconstruction has the advantages of simple operation, reliable suture quality, and shorter operation time.

A case-control study of two internal fixation methods in the treatment of comminuted fracture of inferior pole of patella

To compare the effects of tension band combined with patellar cerclage and memory alloy patellar concentrator fixation in the treatment of comminuted fracture of the lower pole of patella. From July 2015 to July 2019, 60 patients with distal patellar fracture were treated and were divided into two groups according to different operation methods. In group A, 30 patients were fixed with memory alloy patellar concentrator (NiTi PC), 17 males and 13 females, aged 20 to 71 (39.4±9.9) years, including 19 cases of falling injury, 9 cases of traffic injury and 2 cases of sports injury. The time from injury to operation was 10 to 75 (33.1±7.8) hours; 30 cases in group B were fixed with tension band andcerclage, 15 males and 15 females, aged 21 to 76 (38.6±10.2) years, including 17 cases of falling injury, 12 cases of traffic injury and 1 case of smashing injury. The time from injury to operation was 10 to 91 (34.5±9.1) hours. The curative effects of two groups were observed and compared. All 60 patients were followed up for 9 to 30 months. There was no significant difference in intraoperative bleeding, operation time, follow-up time and fracture healing time between the two groups. Six months after operation, according to the Bostman function score of knee joint:30 cases in group A, the total score was 28.6±4.7, of which 26 cases were excellent and 4 cases were good. The total score of 30 cases in group B was 25.5±4.4, of which 20 cases were excellent, 8 cases were good and 2 cases were poor. There were significant differences in Bostman total score and curative effect evaluation between two groups (P<0.05). The score of group A was significantly better than that of group B. In group B, 1 case had Kirschner wire withdrawal, 2 cases had joint stiffness and 3 cases had internal fixation irritation. Memory alloy patellar concentrator is strong and reliable in the treatment of inferior patellar fracture. It can take early rehabilitation exercise after operation, with good recovery of joint function and range of motion and less complications.

REDUCING THE SPORTS INJURY THROUGH FUNCTION MOVEMENT BIOLOGICAL IMAGE DATA SCREENING

ABSTRACT Introduction Among the many cases of sports injuries, the incidence of musculoskeletal injuries remains high. After a musculoskeletal injury occurs, athletes often need to suspend training and undergo rehabilitation. A suitable sport mode requires athletes to have sufficient joint range of motion, core stability, and balance ability in different positions to complete various complex movements in training and competition. Objective The paper analyzes the impact of warm-up exercises before the test on the test results of functional sports biological image data screening ( FMS TM ) and provides references for unifying test conditions, checking the reliability of FMS TM repeated tests, and discussing the comparability of the research results. Methods The paper used the same password and process to test 12 young male volleyball professional athletes without warm-up and warm-up. The two-dimensional motion analysis system Dartfish Pursuit 8.0 was used to analyze the video data recorded by the two cameras simultaneously. Results In the two tests before and after, the hurdle step score (1.75±0.62 vs. 2.42±0.52) and the total score (13.50±2.20 vs. 16.42±2.15) were significantly higher than those without the warm-up test (P&lt;0.01). Besides, in squats (1.58±0.67 vs. 1.92±0.67), straight lunges (2.00±0.43 vs. 2.50±0.52), active straight leg lifts (1.50±0.67 vs. 2.00±0.60), rotation stability (1.42) ±0.52 vs. 1.92±0.29) showed a significant increase in the score (P&lt;0.05). Conclusions Warm-up exercises before the test can improve the test results. This abnormal movement pattern observed only by visual inspection may not truly reflect the “dysfunction” of the movement. In the case of ignoring the pre-test warm-up factors, feedback on sports performance and formulating training strategies, this conclusion of predicting injury risk and evaluating training effects may have specific limitations in its reference value. Level of evidence II; Therapeutic studies - investigation of treatment results.

Arthroscopic repair of Bankart lesion with bioabsorbable suture anchors

To evaluate early clinical effects of bioabsorbable suture anchors for the treatment of Bankart lesion. Total 23 patients with the Bankart lesion were treated with arthroscopic repair using bioabsorbable suture anchors from January 2010 to June 2017. There were 20 males and 3 females, with an average age of (23.4±3.9) years old (ranged, 19 to 34 years old). Fourteen patients had injuries on the right shoulder joint and 9 patients had the injuries on the left side. The mechanism of primary dislocation included 17 cases of training, 5 cases of sports injury and 1 case of falling down. The mean interval time from injury to surgery was(10.9±5.8) months (ranged, 3 to 36 months). The Bankart lesion was repaired by bio-cortical suture anchors. The Rowes rating system for Bankart repair was used to evaluate therapeutic effects. All 23 patients were followed up, with a mean duration of(24.5±3.7) months(ranged, 18 to 39 months). At the latest follow up, there was no recurrent dislocation occurred, and all patients had returned to sports and work. The Rowes rating system for Bankart repair was 53.91±11.67 pre-operationally and 91.74±12.30 post operationally, respectively (P<0.01). According to the Rowes rating system, there were 0 case of excellent, 0 case of fine, 9 cases of good and 14 cases of bad pre-operationally;16 cases of excellent, 4 case of fine, 3 cases of good and 0 cases of bad post operationally;the difference was statistically significant (P<0.01). Applying bio-cortical bone suture anchors for the Bankart lesion is a reliable, efficient and cost effective treatment, which is also suitable for the revision of the Bankart lesion.

Research on Judicial Practice of School Physical Education Injury Cases in Jiangxi Province——Statistical Analysis Based on the Big Data of China Judgement Online

”Justice is the last line to maintain social fairness and justice”. Student right for life, body and health can only be guaranteed through judicial channels. Once the school sports injury cases happen, the results are serious, which seriously affects the students’ academic completion, and brings heavy economics and psychological burden to the related families. Therefore, from the perspective of big data analysis, this paper collects and sorts out the data reports of China judgement online, and finds problems from the data statistics of school sports injury cases. By using SPSS and other sports statistics related software to analyze the variables involved in the case, the paper truthfully reflects the current situation and problems of the case. Finally, the paper puts forward countermeasures and suggestions to prevent and solve the school sports injuries in Jiangxi Province, in order to provide theoretical reference for the construction of school sports law in China.

Sports injury prevention: How far have we come, and where are we going?

Recent epidemiological data from Australia shows that we are continuing to experience increasing trends in the frequency of some types of medically-treated sports injury cases. The reasons for these trends are unknown but they provide a strong rationale for the better targeting and implementation of injury prevention measures. Do we need to do even more of the same or should we just do what we do better? There has certainly been growing interest in the evaluation of injury prevention measures in the “real-world” context of sport delivery settings. This has highlighted a general lack of research into understanding implementation contexts and processes, including barriers and facilitators to intervention uptake, and long-term maintenance of behaviour change. This talk will overview the emerging evidence that is starting to address this knowledge gap. It will also present guidance on how to design and conduct studies to contribute this international debate. One of the most promising avenues for future research is to focus on demonstrating that injury prevention measures can be readily implemented and adopted by the intended end-users (such as players, coaches, sports medicine professionals, etc.). To demonstrate this, his talk will draw on the recent experiences of the National Guidance for Australian Football Partnerships and Safety (NoGAPS) project, which has identified the factors that influence the translation of research evidence into sports injury prevention practice and evaluated this against epidemiological evidence.

Clinical research of treating the avulsed fracture of humerus greater tuberosity using an arthroscopic double-row suture anchor fixation technique

To evaluate the early clinical effects of treating the avulsed fracture of humerus greater tuberosity using the double-row suture anchor fixation technique. Total 20 patients with the avulsed fracture of the greater tuberosity of the humerus were treated from September 2009 to January 2013. There were 12 males and 7 females, with an average age of 46.8 years old(24 to 69 years old). Eleven patients had injuries on right shoulder joint and 8 patients had injuries on left side. The injury mechanism included 10 cases of traffic accident, 6 cases of sports injury, and 3 cases of falls. The mean interval from injury to surgery was 34.9 d (ranged, 3 to 72 d). The affacted arm was suspended and fixed within 3 weeks after operation. The swing exercise of shoulder joint was performed from the 2nd day after operation. The strap was removed 3 weeks after operation, and painless active exercise was performed 6 weeks after operation. The patients were followed up in the outpatient department 6, 12 and 24 weeks after operation, and then every 6 months. AP and lateral X-ray films were taken at each follow-up time. At the latest follow-up, protractor was used to measure activity of patients; and VAS pain score, California University of Losangeles(UCLA) standard, American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) score were used to evaluate therapeutic effects. All the patients were followed up, with a mean duration of 35.2 months (ranged, 24 to 48 months). All the incisions were healed on the first stage without secondary acromion impingement and other complications. All the patients had bony union within 12 weeks. The movements of shoulder joints including flexion, abduction, external rotation, internal rotation were increased obviously(P<0.05). The UCLA score was increased from preoperative 15.2±5.3 to 35.6±6.1 at the latest follow-up. The ASES score was increased from preoperative 31.2±5.4 to 91.2±6.8 at the latest follow-up (P<0.05). It has satisfactory curative effects for the avulsed fracture of humerus greater tuberosity using the double-row suture anchor fixation technique, especially the cases of small or comminuted fractures. It has several advantages such as firm fixation, simple and secure operation as well as quick postoperative recovery. Finally, patient should take exercises actively after operations.

PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS AND IMPROVEMENT DESIGN OF GOLF CLUBS

Recently, golf has become a very popular sport, and most golfers focus on improving their skills and learning process. However, many researchers have studied and found that the hardness and vibration frequency of golf club, and the weight and angle of club head can result in unstable swing distance and accuracy. The golfers modify their swings attitude to adapt to the equipments, or even change the club set, and sometimes these situations cause sports injuries to golfers. Therefore, this study discusses how to design an optimal club set for individual golfers by customization and decreases the cases of sports injuries. The Taguchi method is applied to analyze and design the optimum club for shaft hardness, club head weight, spine and grip weight. The improved club is tested, and the result shows that the driving distance is increased by more than 10%, so that the maximum efficiency of hitting is increased. This study provides important reference for design of golf clubs.

Sports injuries and illnesses during the 2008 Olympic Games and 2013 China National Games in Shenyang Division

To retrospectively analyse the medical imaging examination results of the injuries and illnesses during the 2008 Olympic Games and 2013 China National Games in Shenyang Divison. Collected and analyzed the health information and medical imaging examination results from Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University during the two games. There was 9 cases of sports injuries in the 2008 Olympic Games, mainly for knee, ankle ligament injury and muscle sprain, 36 cases of sports injuries in the 2013 China National Games, mainly for head traumas (9 cases), knee injuries (7 cases), ankle injuries (7 cases), shoulder injures (4 cases). Competitions of high risk of being injured were wrestling (10 cases), track and field (8 cases), American football (6 cases). The most common cause of illness were respiratory system (60 cases) and the digestive system (27 cases) in the total 233 cases illnesses in the China National Games. Different sports have different characteristic, regularity and mechanism of injury. Medical imaging examination has important value in the diagnosis of injury during large games. The respiratory system and digestive system are the most common illnesses and affect the athletes training and competition as important as injuries. So illness is the focus on the medical care assurance of the large games.

Incidence and burden of hospital-treated sports injury in people aged 15+ years in Victoria, Australia, 2004-2010: Future epidemic of osteoarthritis?

Purpose: Previous sports injury is a known risk factor for subsequent osteoarthritis, but population-based rates of sports injury are unknown. Osteoarthritis places a large burden on health care systems. Any increase in the incidence of joint-related sports injuries is likely to further increase this burden. Therefore a greater understanding of the rate and burden of sports injury, is urgently required if a potential future epidemic of OA is to be avoided. The aims of this study were to: i) describe the trends in the population incidence and burden of all hospital-treated sports injury in Victoria, Australia in adults aged 15+ years; ii) determine the incidence of sports-relates lower limb and knee injuries as a subset of these injuries; and iii) quantify their population health burden in terms of direct hospital treatment cost and length of stay. Methods: Health sector data relating to people aged 15+ years, for the calendar years 2004-2010 inclusive, was extracted from the Victorian Admitted Episodes Dataset and Victorian Emergency Minimum Dataset. Data relating to sports injuries were identified using International Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, Tenth Revision, Australian Modifications (ICD-10-AM) diagnosis codes S70-S99, which included injuries to the hip, thigh, knee, lower leg, ankle, foot and toes. Knee and lower leg injuries, as a subset of all lower limb injuries were identified using the codes S80-S89; while dislocation, sprain or strain of the joints and ligaments of the knee were identified using the code S83. Rates of sports participation were collected from annual Exercise, Recreation and Sport Surveys. Trends in injury frequency and rates were determined. Economic burden was calculated as the average Victorian cost per Australian Refined Diagnosis Related Group (AR-DRG) for the relevant year for each admission. Results: Between the dates January 2004 and December 2010 there were 165,496 hospital treated sports injuries in people aged 15+ years in Victoria, Australia. Of these, 59,399 (35.9% of all sports injury cases) were lower limb injuries, 29,430 (17.8%) were injuries to the knee and lower leg and 11,749 (7.1%) were knee dislocations, strains and sprains. The overall annual rate of hospital treated sports injuries increased by 24% (p=0.001) over the 7-years. The annual rate of lower limb sports injuries increased by 26% (p=0.001) over the 7-years. The associated accumulated economic burden was $265 million for all sports injuries and $110 million for lower limb injuries over the 7-years. Conclusions: Previous sports injury is an important known risk factor for the development of osteoarthritis. Assuming a direct correlation between sports injury rates and the subsequent development of OA, it could be expected that this could lead to an increase in the population-level incidence of sports-related OA cases in coming decades. Importantly, a large number of sports injuries do not present at hospitals, and are instead managed by general practitioners, sports physicians and sports physiotherapists through primary referral. This suggests that our findings are a very conservative estimate, and the overall burden of sports injury is likely to be much greater than reported within the current study. The findings of this study have direct implications of the planning of health services to deal with more OA patients in the future. Population-wide preventive strategies that reduce the risk of sports injury are urgently required in order to reduce the future health care system burden of osteoarthritis and other conditions secondary to sports injury.

Concussion-related litigation against the National Football League.

The National Football League concussion lawsuits could potentially serve as a valuable model for other professional sports injury cases in the future.

Concussion-Related Litigation against the National Football League

The National Football League concussion lawsuits could potentially serve as a valuable model for other professional sports injury cases in the future.

Examination of triage nurse text narratives to identify sports injury cases in emergency department presentations

Narrative text can be a useful means of identifying injury in routine data collections. An analysis of data from a near real-time emergency department surveillance system (NREDSS) in New South Wales (NSW, Australia) was conducted to determine if sports injuries can be identified from routine narrative text recorded in emergency departments. Around one-third of all emergency department (ED) presentations during 1 September 2003 to 15 February 2007 were identified as injury-related. Narrative text searching of triage nursing assessments using keywords identified between 282 (i.e. football) and 26,944 (i.e. play) potential sports injury presentations depending on the selected sports-related keyword used. Routine narrative text descriptions from triage nurse assessments show promise for the identification of sports injury presentations to EDs. Further work is required regarding in-depth assessment of case detection capabilities and the likelihood of improving the quality of narrative text recorded.

A profile of Australian football injuries presenting to sports medicine clinics

Most of the published data describing Australian football injuries is from hospital emergency departments and elite injury surveillance studies. There is a lack of good information about injuries to players at the lower levels of participation and those not severe enough to warrant hospital treatment. This study describes the profile of Australian football injuries that present to sports medicine clinics for treatment. New sports injury cases, presenting to five metropolitan Melbourne sports medicine clinics during a 12 month period in 1996-1997, were recorded through the Sports Medicine Injury Surveillance project. Both the patient and treating health professional provided personal and injury details. Australian football accounted for 29% of the 6479 recorded injury cases. The majority of injured players were male (99%) and from adult, community leagues (78%); the mean age was 23 years. Competition accounted for 78% of injuries and 72% of injured players presented for treatment to a sports physician/medical practitioner. Body contact accounted for half of all injuries and the most common injuries were medial ligament sprains of the knee (7%), lateral ligament sprains of the ankle (6%) and anterior cruciate ligament injuries (4%). In conclusion, sports medicine clinics treat a wide variety of football injuries and appear to be a good source of data about injuries to non-elite participants.

An operational model to investigate contact sports injuries.

A cyclical operational model is proposed to examine the interrelationship of a number of factors that are involved in sports injury epidemiology. In sports injury research, investigations often attempt to identify a unique risk factor that distinguishes an injured player. However, a wide variety of factors can contribute to a sports injury occurring, and an understanding of the cause of injury is important to advance knowledge. The proposed model identifies a healthy/fit player initially, although the player may exhibit a number of intrinsic risk factors for sports injury. Before exposure to extrinsic risk factors, there is the opportunity for implementation of prevention strategies by coaching personnel and the sports medicine team. These strategies might include, among others, appropriate warm-up, adequate hydration, wearing protective equipment, and prophylactic taping. Additionally, preventative screening could take place to assess the various intrinsic and extrinsic risk factors that could lead to sports injury. Two examples of how the operational model relates to contact sports injury cases are presented. Participating in sport inevitably exposes the player to external risk factors that predispose toward injury. The treatment of the injured player aims to restore the player to preinjury playing status and to prevent the injury from becoming chronic. It is suggested that the application of this proposed cyclical model may lead to greater success in understanding the multifaceted nature of sports injuries and furthermore help minimize injury risk and support the rehabilitation of injured contact sports participants.

Sport and active recreation injuries in Australia: evidence from emergency department presentations.

OBJECTIVE: Despite the rise in specialist clinical services for the management of sports and active recreation injury, many patients attend hospital emergency departments for treatment. The purpose of this study...