Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

B R Cahill

Publications and source records attributed to B R Cahill.

28 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

Exposure to injury in major college football. A preliminary report of data collection to determine injury exposure rates and activity risk factors.

Five football teams from major colleges in the nation were surveyed during practices and games in the 1976 season. Data were collected on three packages of information designed as a computer program for tabulation, analysis, and storage of data. Investigators, with a thorough knowledge of football and trained in the use of the program, obtained the data from a given team during every drill, practice, and game of the season. Injury exposure rate was calculated as a ratio of injuries to minutes of exposure in 14 categories (12 specific drills, practice games, and other activities). Agility drills produced the fewest number of injuries for the amount of exposure time (exposure rate, 47,138; risk ractor, 1) and, therefore, it served as a base from which risk factors for all other categories would be calculated. No injuries were recorded in calisthenics. Practice games had the lowest injury exposure rate (1,009) and the highest risk factor (47). Analysis of data is incomplete at this time. The ultimate intent of the study is to help identify and eliminate harmful factors, establish norms, and provide a service to other schools that may desire exposure rate/risk factor data analyzed at a reasonable cost.

Athletic Injuries↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Weight training-related injuries in the high school athlete.

Eighty young athletes with weight training-related injuries were seen from August 1976 to August 1980. In 37 of the 80 athletes, it was difficult to pinpoint the cause of injury since the history revealed, in addition to weight training, either a program of running excessive mileage or participation in repetitive lap running in the gymnasium. The injuries of the remaining 43 athletes had a direct causal relationship to the weight training program. Twenty-nine developed lumbosacral pain. Seven of the 29 were hospitalized, and four required surgical treatment. Anterior iliac spine avulsion occurred in six cases, and laceration of the knee meniscus occurred as an initial injury in four athletes who required surgery. Four athletes developed a cervical sprain. Universal Gym (Cedar Rapids, IA), Leaper (Strength/Fitness Systems, Independence MO) Orthotron (Lumex Inc., Bay Shore, NY), and free weights were used either singly or in combination by these young athletes in weight training.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Furunculosis in a high school football team.

An outbreak of Staphylococcus aureus furuncles (boils) occurred among 26 members of a central Illinois high school football team. A total of 55 boils were reported with a diameter of induration ranging from 0.25 to 6 inches (mean = 1.25 inches). Eighty-nine percent of the boils were located on the extremities, and 70% were known to have developed following a bruise or break in the skin. The development of boils was associated with prior bruises and open wounds. Use of skin lubricant, elbow and forearm pads, whirlpool bath, and athletic tape were also associated with the development of boils, but were not judged to be causal. Rather, these factors most likely reflected attempts to protect areas of compromised skin which were at high risk of developing boils. Lack of hot water and soap for showering may have facilitated the occurrence of the outbreak by discouraging players from showering. Other variables examined, but excluded as important factors, were the sharing of football pads, the sharing of towels, the laundering of athletic clothes, and the position played on the football team.

Contusions↗
PubMedDate not supplied

99m-Technetium phosphate compound joint scintigraphy in the management of juvenile osteochondritis dissecans of the femoral condyles.

The known sensitivity of joint scintigraphy in following the course of fracture healing caused the authors to believe that this radiologic technique might be valuable in the management of osteochondritis dissecans (OCD). Accordingly, 99mTc-diphosphonate joint scintigraphy was used on 18 patients with OCD of the knee. The average age was 13 1/2 years. The scintigrams were repeated at 6-week intervals until healing had occurred. When the diagnosis of OCD was established by standard roentgenograms and joint scintigraphy, the patients were placed on an activity restriction program, attempting to reach a symptom-free level. The patients were followed for an average of 18 months. Ninety-five scans were categorized according to their level of scintigraphic activity. This led to a discrete four-part scintigraphic classification that is indicative of the extent of healing or progression of this condition, and precedes changes seen on standard x-rays by months. Joint scintigraphy also rules out anomalies of ossification in the diagnosis of OCD since an anomaly should have a normal scintigraphic appearance. We have concluded that joint scintigraphy is valuable in the management of OCD because of its superior sensitivity to changes in the activity of the lesion. As experience is gained with this technique, those cases that should be prophylactically surgically stabilized may be indicated.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Strength training for prepubescent males: is it safe?

This study examined the safety of one type of strength training for prepubescent males. Eighteen males (average age, 8.3 +/- 1.2 years) participated in a 45 min/session, three session/week, 14 week supervised strength training program with an attendance rate of 91.5%. Concentric work was done almost exclusively. KinCom analysis showed significant strength gain in this group (P less than 0.05), while an age, sex, and activity matched control group did not gain strength. Safety was evaluated by injury surveillance, blood pressure and heart rate monitoring, scintigraphy, and creatine phosphokinase measurement. Effects on growth and development, flexibility, and motor performance were also investigated, as these are factors with an impact on sports injury occurrence. Results showed that in the short term, supervised concentric strength training results in a low injury rate and does not adversely affect bone, muscle, or epiphyses; nor does it adversely affect growth, development, flexibility, or motor performance. As the safety question is multifaceted, this should not lead to the conclusion that strength training for prepubescents is uniformly safe. Further research is needed.

Athletic Injuries↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The results of conservative management of juvenile osteochondritis dissecans using joint scintigraphy. A prospective study.

A prospective clinical study used joint scintigraphy to investigate conservative treatment of juvenile osteochondritis dissecans (JOCD) of the femoral condyle. The predictive value of scintigraphic evaluation and various parameters (age at onset, sex, location and size of lesion) were analyzed. Over a 10 year period, the senior author followed 92 knees in 76 patients, 60 of whom were male and 16 female (11 and 5 bilaterals, respectively). All patients were participants in athletics or exercise programs. All patients had orthopaedic assessment, roentgenographic studies (AP, lateral, and tunnel views), 99m-Technetium phosphate compound joint scintigraphy, and instruction in a symptom-free existence (with all athletic activity proscribed). Patients were reevaluated and scanned every 8 weeks. No casts or braces were used, although crutches were sometimes necessary to maintain symptom-free levels. Based on specific indications for failure of conservative treatment, 50% of these patients failed and underwent surgery. Of the 92 knees, 52 were successfully treated conservatively, while 40 failed. Average followup was 4.2 years. Average age at onset was 12.5 years; the success group averaged 12.1 years and the failure group 13.0 years. The average lesion size was 363.2 mm2, with 309.5 mm2 in the success group and 436.0 mm2 in the failure group. Parameters of location, sex, and scan classification were not statistically significant as predictive factors. This study found no predictors for the success or failure of treatment beyond a moderate correlation of larger lesion size with failed conservative treatment.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

High school football injuries: a prospective study and pitfalls of data collection.

A 4 year prospective study (1982 to 1985) of high school varsity football injuries from the four Peoria high school football teams was undertaken. Two hundred fifty-one injuries were recorded among a player population of 598, resulting in an injury rate of 42.1% per 100 players. All of the players followed a prescribed preseason summer conditioning program that was endorsed by the Illinois High School Athletic Association. The injuries were recorded on an athletic injury profile and entered into a computer for data analysis and retrieval. The injury distribution by player position showed that halfbacks, tackles, linebackers, and guards had a higher risk of injury than other positions. The knee was the body part injured most frequently (20.3%). A matrix of injuries to halfbacks was set up to examine the relationship of body part injured to type of play, time of injury, and activity during injury. An anthropometric study using the Quetelet index did not reveal any correlation between injury and body size when the injured players were compared with the non-injured players. Experience since 1969 has taught us many of the errors and pitfalls involved in injury surveillance. Strict adherence to recording of data will ensure an accurate and useful injury surveillance program.

Body Constitution↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Atraumatic osteolysis of the distal clavicle. Results of open surgical excision.

A group of 14 patients underwent 17 consecutive open surgical excisions of the distal clavicle for atraumatic osteolysis after having failed conservative treatment. All patients were men involved in weight training or heavy-lifting occupations. The diagnosis was based on no history of shoulder trauma, positive plain radiographs, and positive joint scintigraphy. All 14 patients were available for followup at an average of 25 months postoperatively. The UCLA Shoulder Rating Scale was used for evaluation. All patients reported full return to sports and employment at a satisfactory level. All results were rated as excellent (8) or good (9). Eleven of the 14 patients had bilateral involvement to some extent. One patient had undergone open excision of the contralateral distal clavicle before the study and 3 patients presented with bilateral symptoms and underwent staged bilateral excisions during the study. Seven patients presented with contralateral symptoms and radiographic involvement at latest followup after return to weight-lifting activities.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The clinical importance of the anaerobic energy system and its assessment in human performance.

The anaerobic energy system is involved in providing energy for all forms of physical activity. The relevance of this system to human performance and physical fitness throughout the age spectrum is underscored here and contrasted with the aerobic energy system. The anaerobic system responds to high-intensity training with biochemical, neural, and anatomic adaptations. Unlike the aerobic system, this response tends to be primarily a local phenomenon with little systemic adaptation. An important factor distinguishing anaerobic training from aerobic training is the intensity of the exercise dose. For anaerobic training to occur, the dose must be of high intensity and performed to near-exhaustion. The anaerobic system can be indirectly assessed by performance tests, such as a vertical jump or stair climb, or more directly by supramaximal bicycle tests. The impact of recent research regarding the trainability of the anaerobic system, particularly in the elderly population, is encouraging. The elderly respond to anaerobic training and, as a result, their independence, quality of life, and safety from falls can be improved. While little is known about anaerobic rehabilitation after injury, it is known that isokinetic and performance tests may be considered normal after rehabilitation, despite incomplete rehabilitation of the anaerobic system. Thus, appropriate application of the anaerobic system assessments and training principles is an important aspect of sports medicine practice.

Adolescent↗