Injury Questionnaire Research Articles

Relationships between common pre-season screening measures and dance-related injuries in pre-professional ballet dancers.

OBJECTIVE: To examine modifiable and non-modifiable factors for associations with dance-related injury among pre-professional ballet dancers over five academic years. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study METHODS: Full-time pre-professional ballet dancers [n=452; 399 female, median (range) age: 15 years (11-21)] participated across five academic years at a vocational school. Participants completed baseline screening and online weekly injury questionnaires including dance exposure (hours/week). Zero-inflated Poisson regression models were used to examine associations between potential risk factors measured at baseline and self-reported dance-related injury. RESULTS: In count model coefficients, left one leg standing score [log coefficient estimate: -0.249 (95%CI: -0.478, -0.02); p=0.033] and right unipedal dynamic balance time [log coefficient estimate: -0.0294 (95%CI: -0.048, -0.01); p>0.001] carried a protective effect with increased years of training when adjusted for Athletic Coping Skills Inventory (ACSI) score. A significant association was found for left unipedal dynamic balance time and dance-related injury [log coefficient estimate: 0.013 (95%CI: 0.000, 0.026); p=0.045] when adjusted for years training and ACSI score. There were no significant associations between dance-related injury and ankle and hip range of motion, active straight leg raise or Y-balance test measures. CONCLUSION: When adjusted for years of previous dance training and psychological coping skills, there was a significant association between limb-specific lumbopelvic control and dynamic balance tasks, and self-reported dance-related injury in pre-professional ballet.

Non-Fatal Agricultural Injuries and First Aid Self-Efficacy Among Greenhouse Workers in Turkey

ABSTRACT Objective This study aimed to see if there was a link between first aid self-efficacy and the frequency of occupational accidents and non-fatal agricultural injuries in greenhouse agriculture workers. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted with 251 people in a district center. Sociodemographic, occupational accident, and injury questionnaires prepared by the researchers and the First Aid Self-Efficacy Scale were used to collect the data. SPSS 25.0 software was used to evaluate the data and descriptive statistics; the Mann-Whitney U test and Kruskal Wallis analysis of variance were applied in the analysis. Results 71.4% of the participants experienced an occupational accident by falling and slipping; 41.7% were slightly injured after the accident, and 63.2% experienced injuries in fractures, sprains, and crushes. We found that most injuries were in the lower extremities (33.2%), and 66.4% were admitted to the hospital. We ascertained that male workers’ median first-aid self-efficacy scores were significantly higher than those of female workers (p < .05). We determined there was no significant difference between first-aid self-efficacy scores according to other sociodemographic variables, occupational accidents, or injury data (p > .05). Conclusion Occupational accidents and non-fatal agricultural injuries are common in greenhouse agriculture, and male workers have higher first-aid self-efficacy than female workers. Since greenhouse work is a hazardous line of work, providing simple medical first-aid training would be useful for those working in this field.

Initial and Residual 3D Fracture Displacement Is Predictive for Patient-Reported Functional Outcome at Mid-Term Follow-Up in Surgically Treated Tibial Plateau Fractures.

Conventional measures of fracture displacement have low interobserver reliability. This study introduced a novel 3D method to measure tibial plateau fracture displacement and its impact on functional outcome. A multicentre study was conducted on patients who had tibial plateau fracture surgery between 2003 and 2018. Eligible patients had a preoperative CT scan (slice thickness ≤ 1 mm) and received a Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) questionnaire. A total of 362 patients responded (57%), and assessment of initial and residual fracture displacement was performed via measurement using the 3D gap area (mm2). Patients were divided into four groups based on the 3D gap area size. Differences in functional outcome between these groups were assessed using analysis of variance (ANOVA). Multiple linear regression was used to determine the association between fracture displacement and patient-reported outcome. Functional outcome appeared significantly worse when initial or residual fracture displacement increased. Multivariate linear regression showed that initial 3D gap area (per 100 mm2) was significantly negatively associated with all KOOS subscales: symptoms (-0.9, p < 0.001), pain (-0.0, p < 0.001), ADL (-0.8, p = 0.002), sport (-1.4, p < 0.001), and QoL (-1.1, p < 0.001). In addition, residual gap area was significantly negatively associated with the subscales symptoms (-2.2, p = 0.011), ADL (-2.2, p = 0.014), sport (-2.6, p = 0.033), and QoL (-2.4, p = 0.023). A novel 3D measurement method was applied to quantify initial and residual displacement. This is the first study which can reliably classify the degree of displacement and indicates that increasing displacement results in poorer patient-reported functional outcomes.

PREVALENCE OF MUSCULOSKELETAL OVERUSE INJURIES AMONG MALAYSIAN ELITE ATHLETES DURING THE PREPARATION PHASE FOR INTERNATIONAL SPORT COMPETITION

Intensive training with a high volume of training in preparation for the tournament may predispose athletes to overuse injuries. Therefore, this study aims to determine the prevalence of musculoskeletal overuse injuries among Malaysian athletes during the pre-competition phase. A 13-week prospective cohort study was conducted, including 100 elite athletes representing Malaysia at Commonwealth Games, Asian Games and World Championships. Data on overuse injuries were collected every second week using the Oslo Sports Trauma Research Center Overuse Injury Questionnaire. The average weekly prevalence of overuse injuries was calculated using the questionnaire results. A total of 119 cases of substantial overuse condition were reported, which were in the back (35 cases), knee (31 cases), ankle (28 cases), and shoulder (25 cases), affecting 100 athletes (100% of the cohort). About 42.5 % of the participants classified themselves as having substantial overuse problems, leading to a moderate (71%) or severe (29%) reduction in sports participation or performance or inability to participate in high-performance activities. The average weekly severity score for the back was 16, 12 cases for the shoulder, and the same score of 14 cases for the knee and ankle. Overuse injuries occurred among elite Malaysian athletes during the preparation and training phase for international competition due to the rapid intensity of the training. This study suggests that a guideline is needed for injury prevention strategies for the benefit of Malaysian athletes to prevent injuries.

Higher age and present injury at the start of the season are risk factors for in-season injury in amateur male and female football players—a prospective cohort study

PurposeTo describe the injury prevalence, injury pattern, and potential baseline risk factors for injuries in male and female adolescent and adult amateur football players.MethodsThis prospective study followed adolescent and adult amateur football players over one season March–October 2020. The study was completed by 462 players (130 men, age 20.0 ± 5.7, 14–46 years) who answered a baseline survey and a weekly web survey during the season. A total of 1456 weekly surveys were registered from males and 5041 from females. Injuries were recorded with the Oslo Sports Trauma Research Center Overuse Injury Questionnaire (OSTRC-O2). Potential baseline risk factors (age, performance of strength/conditioning training, participation in other sports, perceived importance of sporting success, self-rated training and match load, perceived balance between training/match load and recovery, previous/present injury at start of season, and injury beliefs) and their association with injury were analysed with Poisson regressions within each sex.ResultsMales reported 95 injuries (262 injury weeks, weekly prevalence 18.0% (95% CI 16.1–20.1)) and females 350 injuries (1206 injury weeks, weekly prevalence 23.9% (95% CI 22.8–25.1)). Gradual-onset injuries accounted for 57% of the injuries in males and 66% in females. For males, substantial injuries were most common in the hip/groin (weekly prevalence 3.8%), ankle (2.1%), posterior thigh (2.0%), and knee (2.0%); and for females, in the knee (4.3%), ankle (2.5%), and lower leg/Achilles tendon (2.0%). Significant risk factors for injury were higher age (rate ratio males 1.05 per year increase (95% CI 1.02–1.08), females 1.03 (95% CI 1.01–1.05)), and present injury at baseline (males 1.92 (95% CI 1.27–2.89), females 1.58 (95% CI 1.19–2.09)).ConclusionAt any given week, almost one in five male and one in four female amateur football players reported new or ongoing injuries. Hip/groin injuries were more frequent in males, while female players had a higher prevalence of knee injuries. Older players and those with an existing injury at the start of the season were more prone to new injury during the season. Rehabilitation of pre-season injury and complaints are key to reduce the injury burden in amateur football.Level of evidenceLevel II.Trial registration number NCT04272047, Clinical trials

Epidemiology of Acute and Overuse Injuries in Underwater Rugby.

Underwater rugby (UWR) is a team sport. Athletes require a high degree of strength, endurance, speed, and coordination involving intense physical contact. Currently, a paucity of literature exists regarding injury occurrence in UWR. To examine the nature and prevalence of acute and overuse injuries in UWR. Descriptive epidemiology study. Between November 2020 and March 2021, a total of 720 German UWR athletes were invited to take an online survey developed by orthopaedic specialists with UWR athletes. Data were recorded regarding general and health-related information, training habits, acute injuries that necessitated an interruption in training and/or doctor consultation, as well as overuse injuries. Overuse injuries were evaluated using the Oslo Sports Trauma Research Centre Overuse Injury Questionnaire. Statistical analyses included t tests or rank sum tests depending on normality of distribution. A nonparametric Kruskal-Wallis 1-way analysis of variance on ranks was used for nonnormally distributed data among several groups. This study included 161 active athletes (mean ± SD, 36.1 ± 11.9 years old; 75.3% male) for analysis, of whom 90.1% were competing regularly. The performance-level distribution was as follows: first German national league (n = 73), second German national league (n = 46), state league (n = 17), district league (n = 1), and no league (n = 24). The mean ± SD sport-specific training workload was 5.6 ± 3.0 h/wk, including UWR training, additional swimming (n = 71; 44.1%), strength (n = 70; 43.5%), and/or endurance training (n = 102; 63.4%). Acute injuries were recorded in 78.9% of all athletes. The most typical locations for acute injuries were hand/finger (42.4%), head/face (concussion, ruptured eardrum; 18.1%), wrist (5.5%), or spine (5.0%). Overuse injuries were reported by 42.9% of the participants. The predominant locations for overuse injuries were hand/finger (18.8%), shoulder/clavicle (14.1%), spine and wrist (10.7% each), head/face (8.7%), and ankle joint and knee (6.7% each). In the current study, 3 of 4 athletes reported at least 1 acute injury, and 2 of 5 athletes reported at least 1 overuse injury. Leading injury regions were the hand/finger, head/ear, wrist, and spine.

Validity and Reliability of the Pre-Adolescent Dance Injury and Participation Questionnaire (PADIP-Q).

Dancers generally begin training in a variety of styles at a young age. Across ages and levels of participation, dancers are at high risk for injury. Most available injury surveillance tools, however, have been developed for adult populations. Valid, reliable tools that monitor injury and exposure of pre-adolescent dance populations are limited. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the validity and reliability of a dance injury and participation questionnaire specifically for pre-adolescent private studio dancers. Four stages of validity and reliability testing assessed a novel questionnaire: initial design based on previous literature, expert panel review, cognitive interviews, and test-retest reliability. The target population was 8 to 12-year-olds who participate in at least 1 class/week at a private studio. Feedback from a panel review and cognitive interviews was incorporated. Test-retest analyses included Cohen's kappa coefficients and percent agreement for categorical variables, and intraclass correlation coefficients [ICCs (3,1)], absolute mean difference (md) and Pearson's correlation coefficients (r) for numerical data. The final questionnaire was comprised of 4 sections: demographics, dance training history, current dance participation (previous 1-year and 4-months), and dance-related injury history (previous 1-year and 4-months). Items with categorical responses estimated kappa coefficients from 0.32 to 1.00, and percent agreement between 81% and 100%. For items with numeric responses, ICC estimates ranged between .14 and 1.00, r values between .14 and 1.00, and the largest absolute md was 0.46. The 4-month recall sections revealed higher agreement than the 1-year sections. This valid pre-adolescent dance injury and participation questionnaire demonstrates good to excellent reliability across all items. To support participant completions, assistance from a parent/guardian is suggested. To move dance epidemiology research forward among private studio dancers aged 8 to 12 years, employment of this questionnaire is therefore recommended.

Effect of Squill Oxymel on Knee Osteoarthritis: A Triple-Blind, Randomized, Controlled Clinical Trial

Osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee is a major health problem in the society. Iranian Traditional Medicine (ITM) or Persian Medicine (PM) as a branch of complementary medicine has been practiced in Iran for many centuries. An herbal medication known as squill oxymel has been used by PM physicians for OA. Our aim is to investigate the effect of squill oxymel on OA of the knee joint. Eighty eight patients were assigned to receive a placebo or squill oxymel syrup (10 ml each morning on empty stomach) for 8 consecutive weeks. Acetaminophen tablets were considered as the rescue medicine. Ultimately, 43 patients in the placebo group and 40 patients in the treatment group completed the trial and were included in the statistical analysis. Patients were followed for 4 weeks after cessation of treatment. The Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) questionnaire and Visual Analog Scale (VAS) were considered as the main outcome measures. Laboratory tests including AST, ALT, BUN, Cr plus inflammatory tests including WBC, ESR, and CRP with specific tests i.e. interleukin 6 (IL6) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) at the beginning and the end of intervention were measured. The results showed the positive effect of treatment on the outcome of knee pain (p=0.04) and daily activity (p=0.01) of KOOS after Cessation of treatment. On the other hand, VAS decreased in both treatment and placebo groups; while it showed significance intra-group and showed no significance between the two groups. After 4 weeks of cessation of treatment, the positive effect of the squill oxymel on the treatment group continued in some of the subscales of KOOS, including symptoms, knee pain and daily activities, but stopped in the placebo group. In general, both clinically and statistically significant improvement was observed after cessation of treatment. Squill oxymel syrup showed promising results in management of knee OA but future researches with larger sample size and longer duration are necessary.

Low Correlation between Gait and Quality of Life in Advanced Knee Osteoarthritis

Advanced knee osteoarthritis patients’ gait usually undergoes alterations leading to decreased mobility and lower functional performance, which can result in a worsening of their quality of life (QoL). While several authors have reported a moderate correlation between gait parameters and QoL assessed by generic questionnaires, the literature is scarce. This study aimed to explore the relationship between gait and QoL parameters assessed by a generic and a disease-specific questionnaire in patients with advanced knee osteoarthritis. In this single-centre, prospective, observational study, 129 patients with advanced knee osteoarthritis scheduled for elective total knee replacement were selected. The patients’ gait was evaluated by means of a validated wireless device while they walked 30 m at a comfortable speed. Patient function was also analysed using the Knee Society Score (KSS). QoL was measured with the EQ-5D and the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) questionnaires. Patients showed a mean walking speed of 0.95 ± 0.19 m/s, a mean cadence of 105.6 ± 9.9 steps/min, and a mean stride length of 1.25 ± 0.17 m on both legs. They presented poor knee status (KSS &lt; 60) and poor QoL, with an EQ-5D of 0.44 ± 0.24 and a total KOOS of 29.77 ± 13.99. Positive low correlations (r &lt;0.5, p &lt;0.5) were found only between the speed, propulsion and stride length of both legs, and the overall and ADLs subscale scores of the total KOOS questionnaire. In conclusion, several gait parameters have a significant low correlation with the QoL of patients with advanced knee osteoarthritis, as assessed by an osteoarthritis-specific questionnaire.

Malay translation and validation of the quality of life after brain injury (QOLIBRI) questionnaire for individuals with traumatic brain injury

Background &amp; Objectives: The Quality of Life after Brain Injury (QOLIBRI) is a health-related quality of life (QOL) questionnaire for individuals with traumatic brain injury (TBI). The aim of this study was to translate and validate the Malay version of QOLIBRI (M-QOLIBRI). Methods: One hundred sixty-two individuals with TBI participated in this cross-sectional and validation study. Internal consistency, concurrent-criterion validity, construct validity, and test–retest reliability were assessed with Cronbach’s alpha, Spearman’s correlation coefficient, confirmatory factor analysis, and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Results: M-QOLIBRI was proven reliable, with an overall alpha value of 0.911 and an ICC value of 1.00. The t-test result showed insignificant differences between the first and second administration of M-QOLIBRI (t = 1.897, p &gt; 0.05). No significant correlation existed between the M-QOLIBRI score and patients’ age (r = −.111, p &gt; 0.05) and time since injury (r = −.117, p &gt; 0.05). Factor analysis was used to check for the validity of the instrument. The KMO value in this study was acceptable (0.786), which proved that the sample size was adequate. Conclusions: This study demonstrated that M-QOLIBRI is a valid and reliable tool to assess the health-related QOL after brain injury of Malaysian population.

The Effect of Knee Joint Muscles Deep Dry Needling on Pain and Function in Patients After Total Knee Arthroplasty

Objective Osteoarthritis is one of the most common knee joint diseases. It is a multifactorial, inflammatory, and destructive disorder of the joint that involves the synovial tissues and joint cartilage and causes permanent pain, functional limitations, and a decrease in patients’ quality of life (QoL). In advanced cases of the disease, total knee arthroplasty is performed to reduce pain and improve the function of the patients. The presence of pain after this surgery is a major concern that reduces the QoL of these people. One of the causes of pain after surgery is extra-articular pain and involvement of the musculoskeletal system, the most common cause of which is pain caused by active trigger points. Dry needling is one way to deactivate trigger points. This study aimed to investigate the effects of dry needling on the pain intensity and function of patients with active trigger points in the muscles around the knee after total knee arthroplasty. Materials &amp; Methods This research was a before-and-after clinical trial study. In this study, 49 patients aged 55 to 80 years, with at least 3 months past their total knee arthroplasty and still having pain, were included by an orthopedic specialist after reviewing the inclusion and exclusion criteria. After the first researcher considered the inclusion and exclusion criteria and the presence of active trigger points in the muscles around the knee, including the quadriceps, hamstring, and gastrocsoleus, 27 patients were qualified. The amount of pain in these patients before, one week, and one month, after dry needling was measured and compared based on the linear visual analog scale. Also, the performance of the patients was assessed based on the knee injury and osteoarthritis outcome score questionnaire. This study aimed to investigate the short-term effects of dry needling on pain intensity and function of patients with active trigger points in the muscles around the knee after total knee arthroplasty. Results The results of this study show a significant difference (P&lt;0.001) between the amount of pain before dry needling (57.2±8.9) and one week after dry needling (10.8±33.6). Also, there is a significant (P&lt;0.006) difference between the performance of patients before dry needling (47.5±11.9) and one week after dry needling (42.3±10.6). No significant difference was observed regarding pain and performance between one week and one month after dry needling. Conclusion Performing one dry needling session on the active trigger points of the muscles around the knee after total knee arthroplasty reduces pain and improves patients’ performance.

Can running-related injuries be prevented through an online behavioural intervention in adult novice runners? Results of a randomised controlled trial

ObjectiveTo evaluate the effectiveness of the Runfitcheck on time until the onset of a new running-related injury (RRI) among adult novice runners.MethodsA three-arm randomised controlled trial was conducted over 7...

The Severity Factor Of Injury Risk In Tennis Athletes

Body composition and shape according to ideal Body Mass Index (BMI) conditions are crucial factors for tennis athletes to reach high performance and avoid the risk of injury. This study aimed to determine the correlation between Body Mass Index (BMI) and the injury rate in tennis athletes in Banyumas Regency. The research instrument used a body mass index (BMI) and Functional measurement test. The measurement profile is strengthened by the athlete's injury archives data using an injury questionnaire. The research method uses the Correlational method. Data analysis used normality test, linearity test, and correlation test to comprehend the level of relevance between Body Mass Index (BMI) and the prevalence of injury in tennis athletes. Identification of Body Mass Index (BMI) and risk of injury in tennis athletes is essential for coaches to design an accurate training program for athletes to achieve high performance during training and competitions. The results showed that the significance value was 0.000 or stated a relationship or relevance between BMI and the risk of injury in tennis athletes. BMI results show that the average BMI is in normal conditions (22.36), and FMS results for the risk of injury to tennis athletes are in the category of having a low risk of injury. The results of this study provide information about the importance of the ideal composition of Body Mass Index (BMI) to avoid the possibility of sports injuries caused by excessive body weight. Identification of Body Mass Index (BMI) and risk of injury in tennis athletes is essential information for coaches to design the right training program for athletes to achieve high performance during training and matches

Longitudinal Internal Validity of the Quality of Life after Brain Injury: Response Shift and Responsiveness.

The Quality of Life after Brain Injury (QoLIBRI) questionnaire was developed and validated to assess disease-specific health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in individuals after TBI. The present study aims to determine its longitudinal validity by assessing its responsiveness and response shift from 3 to 6 months post-injury. Analyses were based on data from the European longitudinal observational cohort Collaborative European NeuroTrauma Effectiveness Research in Traumatic Brain Injury study. A total of 1659 individuals recovering from TBI were included in the analyses. Response shift was assessed using longitudinal measurement invariance testing within the confirmatory factor analyses framework. Responsiveness was analyzed using linear regression models that compared changes in functional recovery as measured by the Glasgow Outcome Scale-Extended (GOSE) with changes in the QoLIBRI scales from 3 to 6 months post-injury. Longitudinal tests of measurement invariance and analyses of discrepancies in practical significance indicated the absence of response shift. Changes in functional recovery status from three to six months were significantly associated with the responsiveness of the QoLIBRI scales over the same time period. The QoLIBRI can be used in longitudinal studies and is responsive to changes in an individual's functional recovery during the first 6 months after TBI.

Injury Incidence and Its Characteristics in Korean Youth and Collegiate Taekwondo Sparring Athletes: A Retrospective Study.

This study aimed to identify the incidence of injury and its characteristics in Korean youth and collegiate Taekwondo athletes during 2021 and to provide a suggestion regarding injury incidence. A total of 183 athletes (95 youth and 88 collegiate athletes) who were registered with the Korea Taekwondo Association (KTA) participated. The research was based on the injury questionnaire developed by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). The questionnaire consists of a total of seven items, including four items related to demographic characteristics and three items related to injuries (locations of injury, types of injury, and causes of injury). A frequency analysis was performed to identify the injury characteristics. Additionally, the injury incidence rate (IIR) was calculated based on 1000 athletic exposures (AEs) during 2021. The IIRs for one recent year (2021) showed 4.43/1000 AEs and 3.13/1000 AEs in youth and collegiate Taekwondo athletes, respectively. The frequency analysis showed that finger (youth: 17.3%, collegiate: 14.6%), contusion (youth: 25.3%, collegiate: 23.8%), and contact with other athletes (youth: 57.6%, collegiate: 54.4%) ranked the highest in terms of the locations of injury, types of injury, and causes of injury, respectively. A continuing injury tracking system can play a key role in accumulating big data for identifying risk factors and developing interventions to reduce injury in Taekwondo sparring.

Spanish Cross-Cultural Adaptation and Validation of the Oslo Sports Trauma Research Centre (OSTRC) Overuse Injury Questionnaire in Handball Players.

The aim of this study was the cultural adaptation, Spanish translation and validation of the Oslo Sports Trauma Research Centre (OSTRC) Overuse Injury Questionnaire in an adult population. In this study, a cross-sectional design was used. This study was divided into two phases: (1) cross-cultural adaptation of the original version of the OSTRC to a Spanish version (OSTRC-Sp) and (2) analysis of the psychometric properties of the OSTRC-Sp. A total of 427 handball players of both sexes and over 18 years of age participated in the study. The translated version of the questionnaire showed a very high internal consistency (Cronbach's α = 0.954), while the subscales showed an internal consistency between 0.832 and 0.961, with the endmost values being for shoulder and low back pain, respectively. On the other hand, when analysing item responses, the OSTRC-Sp showed ICC values ranging from 0.844 to 0.956, the former being for the first back question (back_1), and the latter for the fourth shoulder question (shoulder_4), in line with most published versions. The Spanish version of the OSTRC is a reliable and valid tool that can be used by researchers and clinicians in a Spanish-speaking population with musculoskeletal disorders.

The sacroiliac dysfunction and pain is associated with history of lower extremity sport related injuries

BackgroundThe purpose of this study was to examine the association of sacroiliac joint (SIJ) dysfunction and pain with overuse and acute lower limb and pelvic girdle injuries of Iranian basketball players.MethodsIn this cross-sectional study, basketball-related injury data were collected during 2019–2020 from 204 basketball players of the Iranian league using the online Information Retrospective Injury Questionnaire. A researcher then performed ten clinical tests to assess SIJ dysfunction and pain (five tests for dysfunction and five tests for pain). Data analysis was performed by logistic regression at the confidence interval of 95%.ResultsWithin our sample (n = 204), injury rates were calculated across sub-groups of athletes that had only SIJ pain (n = 19), only SIJ dysfunction (n = 67), both SIJ pain and dysfunction (n = 15) or no SIJ complaints (n = 103). Across these groups, a total of 464 injuries were reported. SIJ pain group reported 80 injuries (17.2%), SIJ dysfunction group reported 210 injuries (45.2%), both SIJ pain and dysfunction group reported 58 injuries (12.5%, and the no SIJ pain or SIJ dysfunction group reported 116 injuries (25.0%). Participants with SIJ pain were more likely to report previous pelvic girdle injuries (overuse: odds ratio (OR): 0.017; 95% CI: 0.005–0.56; p < 0.001 and acute: OR: 0.197; 95%CI: 0.101–0.384; p < 0.001) and also lower limb injuries (overuse: OR: 0.179, 95%CI: 0.082–0.392, p < 0.001). Participants with SIJ dysfunction only were likely to report acute pelvic girdle injuries (OR: 0.165; 95%CI: 0.070–0.387; p < 0.001) and acute lower limb injuries (OR: 0.165; 95%CI: 0.030–0.184; p < 0.001).ConclusionThe presence of SIJ dysfunction and pain is associated with a history of acute and overuse injuries in the pelvic girdle and lower limb. Thus, SIJ dysfunction and pain should be specifically evaluated and addressed when designing rehabilitation programs for sports-related injuries.

Metformin attenuates symptoms of osteoarthritis: role of genetic diversity of Bcl2 and CXCL16 in OA

ObjectiveThis study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of metformin versus placebo in overweight patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA). In addition, to assess the effects of inflammatory mediators and apoptotic proteins in the pathogenesis of OA, the genetic polymorphisms of two genes, one related to apoptosis (rs2279115 of Bcl-2) and the other related to inflammation (rs2277680 of CXCL-16), were investigated.MethodsIn this double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial, patients were randomly divided to two groups, one group receiving metformin (n = 44) and the other one receiving an identical inert placebo (n = 44) for 4 consecutive months (starting dose 0.5 g/day for the first week, increase to 1 g/day for the second week, and further increase to 1.5 g/day for the remaining period). Another group of healthy individuals (n = 92) with no history and diagnosis of OA were included in this study in order to evaluate the role of genetics in OA. The outcome of treatment regimen was evaluated using the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) questionnaire. The frequency of variants of rs2277680 (A181V) and rs2279115 (938C>A) were determined in extracted DNAs using PCR-RFLP method.ResultsOur results indicated an increase in scores of pain (P ≤ 0.0001), activity of daily living (ADL) (P ≤ 0.0001), sport and recreation (Sport/Rec) (P ≤ 0.0001), and quality of life (QOL) (P = 0.003) and total scores of the KOOS questionnaire in the metformin group compared to the placebo group. Susceptibility to OA was associated with age, gender, family history, CC genotype of 938C>A (Pa = 0.001; OR = 5.2; 95% CI = 2.0–13.7), and GG+GA genotypes of A181V (Pa = 0.04; OR = 2.1; 95% CI = 1.1–10.5). The C allele of 938C>A (Pa = 0.04; OR = 2.2; 95% CI = 1.1–9.8) and G allele of A181V (Pa = 0.02; OR = 2.2; 95% CI = 1.1–4.8) were also associated with OA.ConclusionOur findings support the possible beneficial effects of metformin on improving pain, ADL, Sport/Rec, and QOL in OA patients. Our findings support the association between the CC genotype of Bcl-2 and GG+GA genotypes of CXCL-16 and OA.

Fear avoidance and return to work after mild traumatic brain injury

ABSTRACT Objectives Fear avoidance is associated with symptom persistence after mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). In this study, we investigated whether fear avoidance was associated with other outcomes such as return to work-related activity (RTW). Materials and Methods We analyzed associations between fear avoidance and RTW 6–9 months after mTBI, in two merged prospective mTBI cohorts. Adult participants aged 16 or over (n=175), presenting to outpatient services in New Zealand within 3 months of their injury, who were engaged in work-related activity at the time of injury, were included. Participants completed the Fear Avoidance Behavior after Traumatic Brain Injury (FAB-TBI) questionnaire at enrollment and 6 months later. Associations between FAB-TBI scores and RTW outcome were analyzed using multivariate approaches. Results Overall, 53% of participants had RTW by 6–9 months after mTBI. While early fear avoidance was weakly associated with RTW, persistent high fear avoidance between study assessments or increasing avoidance with time were associated with greater odds of still being off work 6–9 months after injury. Conclusions Pervasive and increasing avoidance of symptom triggers after mTBI were associated with lower rates of RTW 6–9 months after mTBI. Further research is needed to better understand transition points along the recovery trajectory where fear avoidance behaviors fade or increase after mTBI.

Day-to-day variability of knee pain and the relationship with physical activity in people with knee osteoarthritis: an observational, feasibility study using consumer smartwatches

ObjectiveTo assess the feasibility of using smartwatches in people with knee osteoarthritis (OA) to determine the day-to-day variability of pain and the relationship between daily pain and step count.DesignObservational, feasibility...