Non-contact Injuries Research Articles

Megaformer as a Rehabilitation Modality for Hamstring Strain Injury in Division I American Football: A Case Study

BACKGROUND: With athletes striving for peak performance, noncontact muscle strain injuries are increasingly common. Hamstring strain injuries (HSIs) make up the largest portion of noncontact injuries and provide further difficulty because of the high reinjury rate. This case study explores the Megaformer as a modality to treat HSIs with the potential to reduce the return to play timetable and recurrence rate. CASE PRESENTATION: A 23-year-old male American football player with a history of hamstring injuries presented with pain in the right proximal hamstring and deficits in strength and mobility testing as a result of sustained hyperflexion of the right hip with full knee extension. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) confirmed a recurrent proximal hamstring strain. OUTCOME AND FOLLOW-UP: Subsequent strength and range of motion testing revealed no impactful tenderness or pain during active participation or palpation after 9 days, and complete alleviation of symptoms at 6 weeks. No reinjury occurred during the remaining football season. DISCUSSION: This case study highlights possible advantageous features of the Megaformer as a recovery modality for HSIs. The Megaformer aims to improve flexibility, strengthen primary and secondary muscles, and enhance neuromuscular coordination to attempt to decrease the return to play timetable and reduce injury recurrence.

The Genetic Basis of Non-Contact Soft Tissue Injuries-Are There Practical Applications of Genetic Knowledge?

Physical activity increases the risk of non-contact injuries, mainly affecting muscles, tendons, and ligaments. Genetic factors are recognized as contributing to susceptibility to different types of soft tissue injuries, making this broad condition a complicated multifactorial entity. Understanding genetic predisposition seems to offer the potential for personalized injury prevention and improved recovery strategies. The candidate gene analysis approach used so far, has often yielded inconclusive results. This manuscript reviews the most commonly studied genetic variants in genes involved in the musculoskeletal system’s structure and recovery processes (ACTN3, ACE, CKM, MLCK, AMPD1, IGF2, IL6, TNFα, CCL2, COL1A1, COL5A1, MMP3, and TNC). Referring to the literature, it was highlighted that single-gene analyses provide limited insight. On the other hand, novel genetic testing methods identify numerous variants of uncertain physiological relevance. Distinguishing between functionally important variants, modifying variants, and the thousands of irrelevant variants requires advanced bioinformatics methods and basic multiomics research to identify the key biological pathways contributing to injury susceptibility. Tools like the Total Genotype Score (TGS) and Polygenic Risk Score (PRS) offer a more holistic view by assessing the combined effect of multiple variants. However, these methods, while useful in research, lack clinical applicability. In conclusion, it is too early to determine the clinical implications of genetic variability as a tool for improving well-established training and injury prevention methods, as the predictive power of genetic testing for injury predisposition is currently low.

Achilles Tendon Pain in Male Professional Football Players - A Prospective Five-Season Study of 88 Injuries from the UEFA Elite Club Injury Study.

The objective was to describe the location, examination procedures, diagnoses, and treatment for gradual-onset Achilles tendon pain in male professional football (soccer) players. Forty-seven teams were followed prospectively for at least one season from 2013/14 to 2017/18. Time-loss injuries were recorded by the teams' medical staffs. For all non-contact Achilles tendon injuries, a specific Achilles tendon form was sent to teams. There were 88 time-loss injuries recorded with gradual-onset Achilles tendon pain amongst 72 players; 22 (25%) of them were severe lasting more than four weeks including one career-ending injury. The specific form was returned for 78 injuries (89%) with 55 cases (71%) having midportion and 23 cases (29%) insertional pain. There were 51 cases (65%) being examined with ultrasound and 29 cases (37%) with magnetic resonance imaging, both modalities being used in 18 cases (23%). Tendinopathy was the most frequently reported main diagnosis both for midportion and insertional pain with 60 cases (77%), but multiple diagnoses were recorded in 21 cases (27%). Surgery was performed in six cases (8%), and the majority of players were exposed to several non-surgical treatments in various combinations, with eccentric training and cryotherapy being most frequent with 52 cases (72%) each. Tendinopathy was the most frequent diagnosis both for midportion and insertional pain. Imaging was carried out for most injuries. A majority of injuries were managed non-surgically, with eccentric training and cryotherapy being the most frequently applied treatments.

Pressing, pressure and re-aggressing as tactical movement of anterior cruciate ligament injuries in women's soccer.

A better understanding of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury mechanisms in female soccer can guide better research on both prevention programs and late-stage rehabilitation for the return-to-sport process. This narrative review investigates the technical and tactical game situations in female soccer linked to ACL injury mechanisms. Through a literature search, we reviewed scientific literature to identify soccer-specific technical movements and tactical patterns that increase the risk of ACL injuries in female players. Articles were retrieved through Web of Science, SPORTDiscus, ScienceDirect, PubMed, and PubMed Central. Inclusion criteria were: 1) studies on ACL injury mechanisms in women's soccer; 2) studies examining soccer techniques/tactics to identify non-contact injury mechanisms. Gray literature was included to supplement limited indexed data, aiming to stay within author guidelines. Female athletes experience a 2-8 times higher risk of ACL injury than males, with 70% of these injuries being non-contact. Common scenarios leading to these injuries involve ball possession/non-possession phases, tactical actions (pressing, pressure, re-aggression), and technical movements (cutting, changing direction). Tactical aspects, particularly pressing and re-aggression, are key contributors to ACL injury risk regardless of ball possession. In female soccer, ACL injuries are related to non-contact injury mechanisms during technical and tactical situations. The knowledge and study of these situational patterns of play, such as pressing, re-aggression, pressure, and cutting maneuvers, are essential to target prevention strategies and return-to-sport processes objectively.

Is the Endurance Standardized ACWRHMLD or the Underlying Acute and Chronic Components Related to Injuries?

Acute (AW) and chronic (CW) workload imbalances, including their ratio (ACWR), are largely associated with increased injury risk. However, the inclusion of personal endurance performance (EP) in this calculation as a means of improving accuracy has been neglected in previous studies. The aim of this longitudinal observational study was to evaluate the relevance of the high metabolic load distance (ACWRHMLD) to EP in relation to non-contact injuries. Twenty-three German male first division soccer players (age: 24.5 ± 3.5 years; VO2max: 53.7 ± 4.9 mL/min/kg; v4: 15.2 ± 0.9 km/h) were analyzed. Eleven players with non-contact injuries were identified and matched with players without any injuries within the same time interval. Players were monitored using GPS and LPS tracking to calculate ACWRHMLD on a daily basis over the course of one competitive season. Relationships between different endurance performance parameters (v2, v4, vLT, VO2max) and the ACWRHMLD, AW, CW were established for statistical analysis. An area under the curve analysis (AUC) was performed. Based on the four weeks preceding the non-contact injuries, the CW, especially for the last two weeks before the injury, proved to be the most suitable parameter to estimate the risk of injury. The highest significant AUC value (0.81, 95% CI: 0.59–1.00) was calculated for the CW (last week before injury) in relation to the vLT (suitable cut-off: 0.04 km; sensitivity: 78%, specificity: 80%). With regard to the injury rate, the ACWRHMLD seems to be the most appropriate method of calculation, especially for CW related to EP (vLT). The sole use of ACWR, AW, and CW is not recommended.

Effective Prevention and Rehabilitation Strategies to Mitigate Non-Contact Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries: A Narrative Review

Effective Prevention and Rehabilitation Strategies to Mitigate Non-Contact Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries: A Narrative Review

Posterior tibial slope angle in contact versus non-contact anterior cruciate ligament injuries.

Increased Posterior Tibial Slope (PTS) angle has been reported to be a risk factor for primary anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears. However, it is unknown whether increased PTS has an associated increased risk for non-contact versus contact ACL injury. The purpose of this study is to determine whether patients with non-contact ACL injury have a higher PTS angle than those with contact ACL injury. A total of 1700 patients who underwent primary ACL reconstruction between January 2011 and June 2023 at a single academic institution were initially included. Electronic medical records were reviewed for demographic information as well as evidence that the patient sustained a contact or non-contact ACL injury. Patients in the contact cohort were propensity score matched to patients in the non-contact cohort by age, sex and BMI. Additionally, patients in the contact cohort were then propensity score matched to a control group of patients with intact ACLs also by age, sex and BMI. One hundred and two patients with contact injury were initially identified and 1598 patients with non-contact injuries were identified. Of the 102, 67 had knee X-rays that were suitable for measurement. These 67 contact injury patients were propensity score matched to 67 noncontact patient and 67 patients with intact ACLs based on age, sex and BMI. There were no significant differences between contact and non-contact cohorts in age (28.7±6.3 vs. 27.1±6.5, p = 0.147), sex (Female: 36.0% vs. 34.3%, p = 0.858), or BMI (26.7±5.6 vs 26.1±3.4, p= 0.475). There was no significant difference in PTS angle between contact versus non-contact ACL injury patients (11.6±3.0 vs.11.6±2.8, p= 0.894). There was a significant difference in PTS between the contact ACL injury and the intact cohort (11.6±3.0 vs. 10.0±3.9, p= 0.010) and the non-contact ACL injury and the intact cohort (11.6±2.8 vs. 10.0±3.9, p = 0.010). There was no significant difference in the degree of PTS between patients who sustained contact versus non-contact ACL injuries. Additionally, there was a significantly increased PTS in both the contact and non-contact ACL injury cohorts compared to patients with intact ACLs.

Lower Leg Swelling - Noncontact Injury

Lower Leg Swelling - Noncontact Injury

Non-Contact Posterior Ankle Injury- Lacrosse

Non-Contact Posterior Ankle Injury- Lacrosse

Intrinsic Risk Factors for Noncontact Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury in Young Female Soccer Players: A Prospective Cohort Study.

Previous studies have attempted to determine prognostic factors for predicting the occurrence of noncontact anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries. However, studies on risk factors for noncontact ACL injuries in Asian female soccer players are limited. To identify intrinsic risk factors for noncontact ACL injuries among young female Asian soccer players. Cohort study; Level of evidence, 2. This study evaluated 145 female Japanese soccer players for potential risk factors for noncontact ACL injury during the preseason medical assessment. In total, 25 variables were examined-including anthropometric data, joint range of motion, muscle flexibility, muscle strength, and balance measurements. Participants were monitored throughout a single season for noncontact ACL injuries diagnosed by physicians. Noncontact ACL injuries occurred in 13 knees of 13 players (9%). Lower hamstring-to-quadriceps ratio (0.44 ± 0.07 vs 0.50 ± 0.10; P = .04), greater knee extension muscle strength (3.2 ± 0.5 vs 2.7 ± 0.5 N·m/kg; P < .01), and longer playing experience (10.8 ± 3 vs 8.1 ± 4.2 years; P = .02) were significantly associated with new-onset noncontact ACL injuries in young female soccer players. No statistically significant between-group differences were found for any other variables. New-onset noncontact ACL injury in young female soccer players was significantly associated with lower hamstring-to-quadriceps ratio, greater knee extension muscle strength, and longer soccer experience. These findings will help develop strategies for preventing noncontact ACL injuries among female soccer players.

The impact of maturation level, not chronological age, on attentional control: implications for sports injury prevention in female adolescents

BackgroundNon-contact injuries are highly prevalent among young athletes and occur particularly in situations that require fast decision making and divided attention. Administering relevant neurocognitive tests could help identify deficiencies in these cognitive abilities and thus potentially mitigate injury risk. However, processes such as selective attention and response inhibition might depend to some extent on the athlete’s maturation stage. We aimed to examine the effect of maturation on selective visual attention and response inhibition among adolescent volleyball players.MethodsIn this cross-sectional study, 52 female adolescents (age 12.3 ± 2.1 years) performed an Eriksen Flankers task. Participants were divided into subgroups based on their estimated adult stature, using the Khamis & Roche method: Pre-pubertal (PRE; n = 13, age: 9.9 ± 1.3), early-puberty (EPUB; n = 7, age: 10.5 ± 0.6), mid-puberty (MPUB; n = 8, age: 12.6 ± 0.8) and late puberty (LPUB; n = 24, age: 14.1 ± 0.9). Analyses of covariance (ANCOVA) were performed on congruent and incongruent reaction times (RT), with corresponding success rates (% correct responses) as covariate. Flanker interference effect was tested using ANOVA. Correlations were further examined between the dependent variables and participants’ chronological age.ResultsThere was a significant group effect, with PRE demonstrating longer RT compared with LPUB (P < 0.001) for both congruent and incongruent RT. Moderate negative correlations were observed between age and RT (Rp = -0.695, Rp = -0.614 for congruent and incongruent RT, respectively) and low positive correlations between age and incongruent success rate (Rs = 0.318). Low to moderate correlations were also observed within the LPUB group for RT (Rp = -0.431–-0.532) and success rate (negative Rs = -574 for congruent and positive Rs = 0.417 for incongruent). There were no group differences nor age associations with interference effect.ConclusionsOur findings indicate that information processing and selective visual attention are superior at late maturation compared with early maturation among female adolescents. The same cannot be said for response inhibition, which did not differ between maturation groups. Similar tendencies were observed with regards to chronological age, but not entirely explained by it. Maturation level, rather than chronological age, should guide practitioners during sport participation and injury prevention programs for young athletes, whose neurocognitive abilities are not yet fully developed, placing them at risk for non-contact injuries.

Low back pain or injury before collegiate athletics, a potential risk factor for non-contact athletic injuries.

Majority of research surrounding the predictive value of clinical measurements and assessments for future athletic injury does not differentiate between contact and non-contact injuries. We assessed the association between clinical measures and questionnaire data collected prior to sport participation and the incidence of non-contact lower extremity (LE) injuries among Division III collegiate athletes. Prospective cohort study. University setting, NCAA Division III. 488 Division III freshmen athletes were recruited to participate in the study during their preseason physical examinations. 10,983 public schools. Prospective incidence of non-contact Lower extremity Injury. Athletes completed questionnaires to collect demographics and musculoskeletal pain history. Clinical tests, performed by trained examiners, included hip provocative tests, visual appraisal of a single leg squat to identify dynamic knee valgus, and hip range of motion (ROM). Injury surveillance for each athlete's collegiate career was performed. The athletic training department documented each athlete-reported, new onset injury and documented the injury location, type, and outcome (days lost, surgery performed). Univariable Generalized Estimating Equations (GEE) models were used to analyze the relationship between each clinical measure and the first occurrence of non-contact LE injury. An exchangeable correlation structure was used to account for repeated measurements within athletes (right and left limbs). Of the 488 athletes, 369 athletes (75%) were included in the final analysis. 69 non-contact LE injuries were reported. Responding "Yes" to "Have you ever had pain or an injury to your low back" was associated with an increased risk of non-contact LE, odds ratio = 1.59 (95%CI 1.03- 2.45, p=.04). No other clinical measures were associated with increased injury risk. A history of prior low back pain or injury was associated with an increased risk of sustaining a non-contact LE injury while participating in NCAA Division III athletics.

The Time Course of Injury Risk After Return-to-Play in Professional Football (Soccer).

Injury risk in professional football (soccer) is increased in the weeks following return-to-play (RTP). However, the time course of injury risk after RTP (the hazard curve) as well as its influencing factors are largely unknown. This knowledge gap, which is arguably due to the volatility of instantaneous risk when calculated for short time intervals, impedes on informed RTP decision making and post-RTP player management. This study aimed to characterize the hazard curve for non-contact time-loss injuries after RTP in male professional football and to investigate the influence of the severity of the index injury and playing position. Media-based injury records from the first German football league were collected over four seasons as previously published. Time-to-event analysis was employed for non-contact time-loss injury after RTP. The Kaplan-Meier survival function was used to calculate the cumulative hazard function, from which the continuous hazard function was retrieved by derivation. There were 1623 observed and 1520 censored events from 646 players analyzed. The overall shape of the hazard curve was compatible with an exponential decline of injury risk, from an approximately two-fold level shortly after RTP towards baseline, with a half-time of about 4weeks. Interestingly, the peak of the hazard curve was slightly delayed for moderate and more clearly for severe index injuries. The time course of injury risk after RTP (the hazard curve) can be characterized based on the Kaplan-Meier model. The shape of the hazard curve and its influencing factors are of practical as well as methodological relevance and warrant further investigation.

Lower extremity injury and return to sports of elite taekwondo athletes

Abstract Objective We attempted to analyze the characteristics of lower-extremity injuries that occur during training based on the sex and weight class of elite taekwondo (TKD) athletes and the effect of pain scores on the return to sports periods (RTSP). Methods and Methods: We included 198 elite TKD athletes who participated in January–December 2023 and were trained in Korea. Injury incidence rates (IIR) were expressed as Poisson rates with 95% confidence intervals per 1,000 h of training. One-way analysis of variance was conducted to determine the pain score and RTSP according to sex, weight, and injury type. In addition, we performed simple linear regression to determine the effects of pain score on the RTSP. Results The lower-extremities IIR was 2.45 injuries per 1000 training hours, including 0.77 contact and 1.68 non-contact injuries. The IIR was lower in male than in female athletes (p&lt;0.001), the most common injuries occurred in the ankle (0.78) and knee(0.53). In addition, the ligament (0.99) and muscle (0.70) were the most common injury types. All athletes demonstrated significant differences in pain scores (p&lt;0.001) and RTSP (p&lt;0.001) based on the injury type. In addition, we observed a significant difference between the pain score (p&lt;0.001) and RTSP (p=0.004) based on sex. For every 1-point increase in pain score, all athletes had a 1.43-day increase in RTSP. Conclusion These results can be used as data to develop injury prevention programs for TKD athletes and to determine their RTSP.

Effects of In-Season Strength Training on Physical Fitness and Injury Prevention in North African Elite Young Female Soccer Players

BackgroundStrength training (ST) primarily enhances physical fitness (e.g., muscle strength, power, speed) and bone density in female soccer players. Less information is available on the injury preventive effects of ST in female athletes. Accordingly, this study aimed to investigate the effects of a 12-week in-season ST on measures of physical fitness and injury occurrence in young elite female soccer players.MethodsThirty elite female soccer players (15.4 ± 1.9 years; maturity offset + 2.3 ± 1.1 years) participated in this study, and were randomly assigned to a strength training group (STG, n = 14) or an active control (CG, n = 16) group. ST lasted twelve weeks and included full body muscle strengthening exercises using primarily weight machines at progressive intensities ranging between 40 and 85% of the one-repetition-maximum (1-RM). The CG practiced a traditional soccer training program. Overall, training volumes of the two groups were similar with a training load (rating of perceived exertion × time) of 1158.4 ± 67.7 arbitrary unity (AU) for the STG and 1188.8 ± 44.1 AU for the CG. Pre and post training, the following physical fitness tests were applied: dynamic muscle strength (relative [to body mass] and absolute 1-RM bench/leg press, lat-pull down), jump performance (countermovement jump [CMJ], squat jump [SJ], five-jump-test [5JT]), linear-sprint speed (5-m, 10-m, 30-m), change-of-direction speed (T-test with and without ball), sport-specific performance (Yo-Yo Intermittent Level1 [YYIRTL1], and repeated shuttle sprint ability [RSSA]). The injury rate per 1000-h exposure was monitored throughout the soccer season.ResultsNo significant baseline differences were observed between groups. Statistically significant group-by-time interactions were found for absolute (p < 0.001, d = 2.59) and relative 1-RM bench press (p < 0.001, d = 2.39), absolute 1-RM lat-pull down (p < 0.001, d = 1.68), and relative 1-RM leg press (p < 0.001, d = 1.72). Significant group-by-time interactions were observed for CMJ (p = 0.005, d = 1.27), RSSAmean (p = 0.007, d = 0.81), and RSSAtotal (p < 0.001, d = 1.90). Post-hoc tests indicated that the STG group demonstrated greater improvements in all tested variables compared to CG (1.2 < d < 2.5). However, no significant interaction effects were noted for measures of linear sprint speed and YYIRTL1 performance. Additionally, non-contact injuries during the season were significantly lower (p = 0.003, d = 1.31) in the STG (0.48/1000 h of exposure) than the CG (2.62/1000 h of exposure).ConclusionsTwelve weeks of an in-season ST resulted in larger physical fitness improvements and fewer injuries compared with an active control in elite young female soccer players. Accordingly, ST should be systematically applied in female soccer to enhance performance and prevent injuries.

Systematic video analysis of ACL injuries in professional Spanish male football (soccer): injury mechanisms, situational patterns, biomechanics and neurocognitive errors – a study on 115 consecutive cases

ObjectiveA few video analysis studies have been published in recent years, but none specifically on Spanish football. We aimed to describe the mechanisms, situational patterns, biomechanics and neurocognitive errors related...

Enhancing Sports Injury Risk Assessment in Soccer Through Machine Learning and Training Load Analysis.

Sports injuries pose significant challenges in athlete welfare and team dynamics, particularly in high-intensity sports like soccer. This study used machine learning algorithms to assess non-contact injury risk in professional male soccer players from physiological and mechanical load variables. Twenty-five professional male soccer players with a first-time, non-contact muscle injury were included in this study. Recordings of external load (speed, distance, and acceleration/deceleration data) and internal load (heart rate) were obtained during all training sessions and official matches over a 4-year period. Machine learning model training and evaluation features were calculated for each of nine different metrics for a 28-day period prior to the injury and an equal-length baseline epoch. The acute surge in the values of each workload metric was quantified by the deviation of maximum values from the average, while the variations of cumulative workload over the last four weeks preceding injury were also calculated. Seven features were selected by the model as prominent estimators of injury incidence. Three of the features concerned acute load deviations (number of sprints, training load score-incorporating heart rate and muscle load- and time of heart rate at the 90-100% of maximum). The four cumulative load features were (total distance, high speed and sprint running distance and training load score). The accuracy of the muscle injury risk assessment model was 0.78, with a sensitivity of 0.73 and specificity of 0.85. Our model achieved high performance in injury risk detection using a limited number of training load variables. The inclusion, for the first time, of heart rate related variables in an injury risk assessment model highlights the importance of physiological overload as a contributor to muscle injuries in soccer. By identifying the important parameters, coaches may prevent muscle injuries by controlling surges of training load during training and competition.

Evaluation and Management of Glenohumeral Instability in Adolescent Patients: An Expert Consensus Statement.

Management of glenohumeral instability in the adolescent population can be both challenging and controversial. There are no current guidelines for optimal management of glenohumeral instability in this population (unidirectional or multidirectional), and the cutoff ages for transition to adult treatment are not known. To develop consensus-based guidelines for the management of glenohumeral instability in adolescents. Consensus statement. A 26-question, multiple-choice survey was developed after 2 rounds of iterations and was submitted to the orthopaedic surgeons of the Pediatric Research in Sports Medicine (PRiSM) Society. The survey comprised 3 sections-demographics, practice setting, and decision-making-and included cutoff ages and management in 5 specific case scenarios. Consensus-based guidelines were generated with 66% response agreement. An indication score was then applied to each response related to more aggressive management to determine if variables related to consensus (or lack thereof) could be identified. A total of 54 responses were returned. Of the respondents, 59% were from academic practice, 84% were pediatric orthopaedic fellowship trained, and 46% performed >25 shoulder instability cases per year. In the setting of first-time anterior shoulder dislocation, nonoperative treatment was preferred for boys aged <14 years and girls aged <13 years. Besides age, proximal humerus physeal status, injury mechanism, sport, and presence of bony injury affected treatment selection. The presence of a Bankart lesion was an indication for stabilization in first-time dislocations for contact athletes with a closing or closed physis, but not in patients with an open physis or noncontact injury mechanisms. For recurrent anterior shoulder dislocation, stabilization was preferred irrespective of physis status. Initial nonoperative treatment was preferred for multidirectional instability. In the setting of first-time anterior shoulder dislocation in patients with open physes, nonoperative treatment was preferred for boys <14 years and girls <13 years. Future multicenter prospective studies focusing on outcomes would help to validate current practice patterns, especially in scenarios for which no consensus was reached.

Identification of specific injury-related SNPs in high-level athletes of Arab origin: A pilot study

Valuable insights for preventing sports injuries in athletes have been achieved through advancements in genetics. This study aimed to determine the allelic frequency of distinct single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in a group of high-level athletes of Arab origin and to explore whether any significant relationship exists between specific genotypes in the selected SNPs with the prevalence and severity of non-contact soft tissue injuries (NCSTIs) and stress fracture injuries (SFIs). A cohort of 30 Arab male adult athletes trained at the same Sports excellence Centre from various individual sports was recruited and genotyped for collagen type 5 alpha 1 (COL5A1) rs12722 and vitamin D receptor (VDR) rs10735810 variants. The injury data of participant athletes were collected over two training seasons and categorized according to the site and type (muscle, tendon, ligament, or stress fracture) and severity (mild, moderate, or severe). For the COL5A1 rs12722, the examined genotypes were not related to the NCSTIs occurrence, while for VDR rs10735810, the CT and TT genotypes showed a prevalence for increased stress fracture injuries (RR = 7.72; 95 % CI: 1.66–35.87; p = 0.011 and RR = 9.93; 95 % CI: 2.83–34.89; p < 0.001, respectively), and increased odds for severe stress fractures (OR = 10.91, 95 % CI: 1.34–126.92, p = 0.033). This pilot study indicates a possible association between specific genotypes in the examined polymorphisms and the prevalence and severity of NCSTIs and SFIs. Given the constraints of the small sample size in the current study, additional research is required to gain a comprehensive understanding of this specific population.

Demographic and Injury Characteristics as Potential Risk Factors for Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries: A Multicentric Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries are prevalent and can have debilitating consequences, with various factors potentially influencing their occurrence. This multicentric study aimed to comprehensively analyze the epidemiological characteristics of ACL injuries. We hypothesized that specific patient characteristics, such as age, sex, body mass index (BMI), and sports involvement, would be associated with distinct injury patterns and risk profiles. Methods: This cross-sectional study analyzed the medical records of 712 patients aged 15-60 diagnosed with ACL rupture. Data on demographics, injury mechanisms, associated injuries, graft type, and sports involvement were collected. Results: The majority of patients were male (93.1%), aged 15-30 years (80.2%), and overweight (66.7%). Autografts were the predominant graft choice (96.07%). Associated injuries were present in 79.5% of cases, with medial meniscus ruptures being the most common (37.36%). Sports-related (49.3%) and non-sports-related (50.7%) injuries were nearly equal, with non-contact injuries more prevalent (71.1%). In the sports-related subgroup, associated injuries emerged as a significant risk factor for ACL rupture (p = 0.014, OR = 1.596, 95% CI: 1.101-2.314), whereas non-contact mechanisms showed borderline significance (OR = 0.75, p = 0.09). Moreover, younger athletes were more susceptible to sports-related injuries (p = 0.024), with football being the primary sport involved. Conclusions: This study identified a high prevalence of concomitant injuries with ACL injury, which increased the risk of ACL injury, particularly in sports-related cases. Age-related differences in injury patterns highlight the need for age-appropriate preventive measures, especially for younger athletes participating in high-risk sports. This underscores the need for comprehensive injury assessment, targeted prevention strategies, and optimized clinical management approaches tailored to different populations' specific characteristics and risks.