SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “ATHLETICS”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

SourceResearch connectionFrom yearThrough year

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 577 records · Page 32Linked to original sources

PubMed2001

Functional outcome of anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction in recreational and competitive athletes.

The aim of this study was to compare the outcome after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction in recreational and competitive athletes, with a minimum follow-up of two years. Forty-nine patients (24 males and 25 females) who, at the time of the index injury, were classified as recreational athletes (Tegner level 2-5) were compared with 226 patients (61 females and 165 males) who, at the time of the index injury, were classified as competitive athletes (Tegner level 9-10). At the follow-up, no significant differences were found between the study groups in terms of the Lysholm score, IKDC evaluation system, one-leg-hop test, KT-1000 laxity measurements, anterior knee pain and the patients' subjective evaluation of the results. However, the competitive athletes displayed a significantly higher reduction in Tegner activity level than the recreational athletes. The functional and objective results after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction were comparable for the recreational and competitive athletes. We, therefore, conclude that anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction could be recommended for recreational athletes as well as competitive athletes.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2002

[Is meniscal repair an adequate procedure to prevent early osteoarthritis in athletes with chronic anterior knee instabilitity?].

We retrospectively evaluated the clinical outcome of arthroscopic assisted meniscal suture repair in athletes on different competitive sports levels with stable joint function and persisting anterior knee instability. Return to former sports levels and early osteoarthrotic changes were especially focussed. Examination included 50 athletes (32 men, 18 women) who underwent meniscal repair in inside-out technique during the period of 1989 to 1998. 23 patients had isolated full-thickness meniscal tears, 27 an associated rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament which was reconstructed in 13 cases with a patellar-tendon autograft. 3 study groups were formed referring to the athletes preoperative sports level evaluated with Tegner's score. Reexamination included Lysholm score, IKDC score and Fairbank's score. With a mean age of 32.1 years (range 13-53 years) and an average follow-up of 6.3 years 72 % of the patients (n = 36) showed a stable joint function on reexamination. With no persisting anterior knee instability 86 % of the professional athletes returned to former full sports activities on competitive levels. Non competitive athletes returned in all cases (100 %) to their former level. Fairbank's score increased by 0.1 observing minimal osteoarthitic signs. However, persisting anterior knee instability showed on reexamination poor results. Only one third of all athletes were able to return to former activity levels. Osteoarthritic changes were observed in all patients. Professional athletes had the most severe osteoarthritic changes with a significant (p = 0.03) increase of 0.8 in Fairbank's score. The results demonstrate that complete recovery on sports activities after meniscal repair is not possible without reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament. Isolated meniscal repair shows poor results in persisting anterior knee instability and does not prevent increasing osteoarthritic changes in athletes.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1994

Psychological consequences of athletic injury among high-level competitors.

Injury prohibiting continued athletic participation has been hypothesized to have a predictable emotional impact on athletes (Rotella & Heyman, 1986). However, the psychological impact of injury has not been well documented. This study examined the psychological reactions to injury among 343 male collegiate athletes participating in 10 sports. All athletes were assessed using measures of depression, anxiety, and self-esteem during preseason physical examinations. Injured athletes along with matched controls were later assessed within one week of experiencing an athletic injury and 2 months later. A 4 x 3 (Injury Status x Time of Testing) repeated measures multivariate analysis of variance (DM MANOVA) revealed that injured athletes exhibited greater depression and anxiety and lower self-esteem than controls immediately following physical injury and at follow-up 2 months later. These findings supported the general observation that physically injured athletes experience a period of emotional distress that in some cases may be severe enough to warrant clinical intervention.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1998

Anterior cruciate ligament injuries in the female athlete.

The normal anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is critical to knee joint stability, especially for athletes in cutting sports. Rupture of the ACL can be a devastating, if not career-ending, injury for a young athlete because of the resultant instability and increased risk of meniscal and chondral damage. Considerably more girls and women than ever before now participate in athletics. Some epidemiologic data show that female athletes may sustain a higher incidence of ACL injuries than male athletes. Risk factors that may be responsible for these increased injury rates are reviewed. History and physical examination are most important in establishing the diagnosis of ACL injury, although ancillary diagnostic imaging is helpful if the extent of injury is in question. Treatment options, including various surgical reconstructions and rehabilitation, are discussed, with attention to the specific concerns of the female athlete. With appropriate diagnosis and treatment, the ACL-injured athlete may now anticipate full return to function and athletic competition.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1997

Alternative approaches to the assessment of mild head injury in athletes.

OBJECTIVES: Athletic trainers and team physicians are often faced with decisions concerning the severity and timing of an athletes return to play following mild head injury (MHI). These decisions can be the most difficult ones facing clinicians because of the limited amount of quantitative information indicating injury severity. Several authors have published guidelines for return to play following MHI, however these guidelines are based on limited scientific data. The purpose of this paper was to examine the effects of MHI on two objective measures, postural stability and cognitive function, to determine their usefulness in MHI assessment. The data gathered from these two measures has the potential to establish recovery curves based on objective data. METHODS: Eleven Division I collegiate athletes who sustained a MHI and eleven matched control subjects were assessed for postural stability and cognitive function at four intervals following injury. Postural stability was assessed using the Sensory Organization Test on the NeuroCom Smart Balance Master. Cognitive functioning was measured through the use of four neuropsychological tests: Stroop Test, Trail Making Test, Digits Span and Hopkins Verbal Learning Test. Separate mixed model repeated measures ANOVAs were calculated for the composite score and three ratio (vestibular, visual and somato-sensory) scores from the Sensory Organization Test and the scores from the neuropsychological test to reveal significant differences between groups and across days postinjury. RESULTS: A significant group by day interaction for overall postural stability (composite score) revealed that MHI athletes displayed increased postural instability for the first few days following MHI (p < .05). Analysis of the ratio scores revealed a significant interaction for the visual ratio. No significant group differences were revealed for any of the neuropsychological tests (p > .05), however significant day differences were revealed (p < .05). CONCLUSIONS: The results from this study indicate that athletes demonstrate decreased stability until 3 days postinjury. It appears this deficit is related to a sensory interaction problem, whereby the injured athlete fails to use their visual system effectively. These findings suggest that measures of postural stability may provide clinicians with a useful clinical tool for determining when an athlete may safely return to competition, although these findings need to be confirmed in larger groups of athletes.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1997

Coping strategies among long-term injured competitive athletes. A study of 81 men and women in team and individual sports.

Differences in personality, mood and coping ability between athletes of a high competitive level with long-term injuries (n = 81), with a mean age of 24.4 years, and a matched non-injured group (n = 64), with a mean age of 24.2 years, were investigated. Three self-rating scales were employed: mood adjective check-list, general coping questionnaire and Karolinska scales of personality. Although no differences in basic personality traits were found, being injured was found to result in a depressed mood state and in the activation of coping strategies directed at receiving help. Comparisons were made between injured male and female athletes as well as between team-sport and individual-sport athletes. Women were found to become more anxious and tense and to have a stronger inclination to use emotion-focused coping strategies. Team-sport athletes were found to cope more in terms of 'passive acceptance' of help from others, whereas individual athletes were found to activate 'problem-solving' strategies in face of a stressor. The results suggest that social aspects of rehabilitative work are important and support the concept that rehabilitative work with long-term injured athletes should be individualized to be maximally effective. They also support the usefulness of cognitive models of the injured athlete's experience of being long-term injured. Such models, however, do not account for differences between the sexes or between individual and team athletes.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

PubMed2005

Detecting altered postural control after cerebral concussion in athletes with normal postural stability.

OBJECTIVE: To determine if approximate entropy (ApEn), a regularity statistic from non-linear dynamics, could detect changes in postural control during quiet standing in athletes with normal postural stability after cerebral concussion. METHODS: The study was a retrospective, case series analysis of centre of pressure (COP) data collected during the Sensory Organization Test (SOT) from NCAA Division I (USA) athletes prior to and within 48 h after injury. Subjects were 21 male and six female athletes from a variety of sports who sustained a cerebral concussion between 1997 and 2003. After injury, athletes displayed normal postural stability equivalent to preseason levels. For comparison, COP data also were collected from 15 male and 15 female healthy non-athletes on two occasions. ApEn values were calculated for COP anterior-posterior (AP) and medial-lateral (ML) time series. RESULTS: Compared to healthy subjects, COP oscillations among athletes generally became more regular (lower ApEn value) after injury despite the absence of postural instability. For AP time series, declines in ApEn values were much larger in SOT conditions 1 and 2 (approximately three times as large as the standard error of the mean) than for all other conditions. For ML time series, ApEn values declined after injury in all sensory conditions (F(1,55) = 6.36, p = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: Athletes who demonstrated normal postural stability after concussion nonetheless displayed subtle changes in postural control. Changes in ApEn may have represented a clinically abnormal finding. ApEn analysis of COP oscillations may be a valuable supplement to existing concussion assessment protocols for athletes.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2006

Cognition in the days following concussion: comparison of symptomatic versus asymptomatic athletes.

BACKGROUND: Concussion is a common neurological injury occurring during contact sport. Current guidelines recommend that no athlete should return to play while symptomatic or displaying cognitive dysfunction. This study compared post-concussion cognitive function in recently concussed athletes who were symptomatic/asymptomatic at the time of assessment with that of non-injured (control) athletes. METHODS: Prospective study of 615 male Australian Rules footballers. Before the season, all participants (while healthy) completed a battery of baseline computerised (CogSport) and paper and pencil cognitive tasks. Sixty one injured athletes (symptomatic = 25 and asymptomatic = 36) were reassessed within 11 days of being concussed; 84 controls were also reassessed. The serial cognitive function of the three groups was compared using analysis of variance. RESULTS: The performance of the symptomatic group declined at the post-concussion assessment on computerised tests of simple, choice, and complex reaction times compared with the asymptomatic and control groups. The magnitude of changes was large according to conventional statistical criteria. On paper and pencil tests, the symptomatic group displayed no change at reassessment, whereas large improvements were seen in the other two groups. CONCLUSION: Injured athletes experiencing symptoms of concussion displayed impaired motor function and attention, although their learning and memory were preserved. These athletes displayed no change in performance on paper and pencil tests in contrast with the improvement observed in asymptomatic and non-injured athletes. Athletes experiencing symptoms of concussion should be withheld from training and competition until both symptoms and cognitive dysfunction have resolved.

Adult↗

PubMed2004

Fractures in the collegiate athlete.

PURPOSE: To determine the demographics and incidence of fractures in collegiate athletes. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective review of prospectively collected data. METHODS: Division I collegiate athletes who sustained a fracture while enrolled at the university from 1986 to 2000 were identified through training room records. Type and location of fracture, sport, gender, age, position, height, and weight were recorded and analyzed. Team information was obtained from athletic department records and was used to calculate incidence. RESULTS: Between 1986 and 2000, 5900 Division I athletes at our institution sustained 349 primary fractures (5.9%). By gender, the incidence did not differ significantly between males and females (P =.236), except in water polo where the men sustained significantly more fractures. By type, females sustained significantly more stress fractures (P =.001) than males. Overall, by location, the hand contributed the greatest number of total fractures. By sport, the incidence rate was highest in basketball (0.081) for male athletes and in gymnastics (0.069) for female athletes. The incidence of a second fracture during the study period was twice the rate of the first fracture. CONCLUSIONS: As expected, athletes participating in contact sports contributed the greatest number of fractures. Participation in basketball for men and in gymnastics for women posed the greatest risk. Female athletes sustained significantly more stress fractures.

Adult↗

PubMed2005

Potential risk of rerupture in primary achilles tendon repair in athletes younger than 30 years of age.

BACKGROUND: Complete Achilles tendon ruptures are found more often in athletes who participate in sports involving explosive acceleration or maximal effort. In most studies, the consensus for athletes is surgery. This form of treatment has been shown to exhibit the best functional performance with a lower rerupture rate. HYPOTHESIS: Achilles tendon ruptures in a young population (<30 years) have a higher rerupture rate than similar injuries in an older age group (31-50 years), in which the injury is more common. STUDY DESIGN: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 4. METHODS: Retrospective study was carried out by chart review. Magnetic resonance images were obtained comparing appearance of repair in young and old patients at 8 to 12 weeks after operation. RESULTS: There were a total of 4 reruptures in the 89 Achilles tendon repairs. This was an overall rerupture rate of 4.5%, which was consistent with the literature. When the reruptures were critically analyzed, it was noted that the 4 reruptures of the repaired tendon occurred in a young population. Of the 89, there was a subgroup of athletes (n=24) who were 30 years of age or younger at the time of injury. The incidence of rerupture for these individuals was 16.6%. In the remaining athletes (n=65) older than 30 years, the incidence of rerupture was zero. There were no significant differences (P < or =.05) in all parameters measured (average days in a boot, average days to active range of motion, average time to full weight-bearing, average days to bike or use a stair climbing machine, average return to sports) between age groups except in the time from injury to surgery (7.1 days, for athletes < or =30 years vs 2.65 days for athletes >31 years). CONCLUSIONS: The results of Achilles tendon repair with an early weightbearing and an early range of motion rehabilitation program are good. However, caution may need to be taken in the younger athlete (< or =30 years) during rehabilitation. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Although the authors recommend aggressive rehabilitation for Achilles tendon repairs, caution should be observed in the younger athlete.

Achilles Tendon↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Treatment of osteitis pubis in athletes. Results of corticosteroid injections.

This study presents the results of treatment of osteitis pubis in 12 intercollegiate athletes. Early in this series, athletes were treated with prolonged rest, oral antiinflammatory medications, and hip-stretching exercises. Of the nine athletes treated in this manner, only one resumed symptom-free activity after 16 weeks of therapy; eight remained symptomatic and subsequently received a corticosteroid injection (1 ml 1% lidocaine, 1 ml 0.25% bupivacaine, and 4 mg dexamethasone) into the pubic symphysis. Of these eight athletes, three returned to full participation within 3 weeks of injection, four required a second injection to alleviate their symptoms, and one was unable to resume athletic activities despite two injections and an inguinal herniorrhaphy. In recent years, we have recommended an injection if treatment. Three athletes received a corticosteroid injection when their symptoms did not resolve. All three returned to full athletic competition within 2 weeks of the injection. The results of our study suggest that a more rapid return to intercollegiate athletics can be achieved through the judicious use of corticosteroid injections.

Administration, Oral↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Internal fixation of acute stable scaphoid fractures in the athlete.

Our study evaluated the results of surgical repair of acute carpal scaphoid fractures in athletes and the time required for the athletes to return to play. Although playing casts are a nonsurgical option, they reduce the effectiveness of the athlete in sports that require maximal manual dexterity; thus, the management of scaphoid fractures is challenging when early return to sports is desired. Twelve athletes with 12 acute midthird scaphoid fractures were treated with Herbert screw fixation. All patients were in-season athletes in sports that precluded the use of a playing cast. Return to sports averaged 5.8 weeks. Nine of the 12 athletes had range of motion equal to the uninjured side. The grip strength was equal to the unaffected side in 10 of the 12 athletes. Clinical and radiographic union was evident in 11 subjects at an average followup of 2.9 years. The healing rates were comparable with other treatment modalities. We concluded that internal fixation of a scaphoid fracture allows safe and early return to sports when a playing cast is not an acceptable option and when an athlete accepts the risks of surgery.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Neuromuscular performance characteristics in elite female athletes.

The purpose of this research was to identify possible predisposing neuromuscular factors for knee injuries, particularly anterior cruciate ligament tears in female athletes by investigating anterior knee laxity, lower extremity muscle strength, endurance, muscle reaction time, and muscle recruitment order in response to anterior tibial translation. We recruited four subject groups: elite female (N = 40) and male (N = 60) athletes and sex-matched nonathletic controls (N = 40). All participants underwent a subjective evaluation of knee function, arthrometer measurement of anterior tibial translation, isokinetic dynamometer strength and endurance tests at 60 and 240 deg/sec, and anterior tibial translation stress tests. Dynamic stress testing of muscles demonstrated less anterior tibial translation in the knees of the athletes (both men and women) compared with the nonathletic controls. Female athletes and controls demonstrated more anterior tibial laxity than their male counterparts and significantly less muscle strength and endurance. Compared with the male athletes, the female athletes took significantly longer to generate maximum hamstring muscle torque during isokinetic testing. Although no significant differences were found in either spinal or cortical muscle reaction times, the muscle recruitment order in some female athletes was markedly different. The female athletes appeared to rely more on their quadriceps muscles in response to anterior tibial translation; the three other test groups relied more on their hamstring muscles for initial knee stabilization.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2006

Neurophysiological anomalies in symptomatic and asymptomatic concussed athletes.

OBJECTIVE: Concussion in sports is a problem of such magnitude that improvements in diagnosis and management are desirable. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of concussion on event-related potentials, in symptomatic as well as in asymptomatic athletes. METHODS: Twenty symptomatic and asymptomatic athletes who sustained a concussion were compared with 10 control athletes in a modified auditory Oddball task. The task included a sequence of tones containing standard and deviant stimuli. Participants were asked to respond to the target tone presented in the left ear and to ignore tones presented in the right ear. The electroencephalogram was recorded from 28 electrodes during the task. RESULTS: The results showed a reduction in the amplitude of N1, P2, and P3 components in symptomatic and asymptomatic athletes in comparison with control athletes. No between-group differences were observed in reaction times or in latency of the event-related potentials components, except for P3 latency, in which the controls showed shorter latency than the concussed groups. CONCLUSION: Concussions seem to produce deficits in the early and late stages of auditory information processing, which possibly reflect impaired brain functioning in symptomatic and asymptomatic concussed athletes. The fact that asymptomatic athletes have an electrophysiological profile similar to that of symptomatic athletes challenges the validity of return-to-play guidelines for which the absence of symptoms is a major issue.

Adult↗

PubMed2002

Maximizing performance and the prevention of injuries in competitive athletes.

Training athletes to achieve their personal best is an arduous task. The art of coaching athletes toward world-class performances is a blend of science and psychologic motivation. Competitive athletes train 20 to 40 hours per week and push the physiologic limits of the human body. In the past, applying training loads was a best-guess estimate made by the coach and/or athlete. Every athlete is different, and his or her day-to-day exercise and nonexercise stressors vary greatly. Psychophysiologic disturbances precipitated by overtraining can lead to exponential changes in an athlete's ability to tolerate training loads. Musculoskeletal injuries, neuroendocrine irregularities, immune system suppression, and psychologic problems plague athletes and coaches as they attempt to set world records. This paper provides a framework for physicians, athletes, and coaches to better understand the complexities of training, with hopes of preventing overuse problems.

Athletic Injuries↗

PubMed2003

Gender differences in muscular protection of the knee in torsion in size-matched athletes.

BACKGROUND: Female athletes who participate in sports involving jumping and cutting maneuvers are up to eight times more likely to sustain a rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament than are men participating in the same sports. We tested the hypothesis that healthy young women are able to volitionally increase the apparent torsional stiffness of the knee, by maximally activating the knee muscles, significantly less than are size-matched men participating in the same type of sport. METHODS: Twenty-four NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) Division-I athletes (twelve men and twelve women) competing in sports associated with a high risk of injury to the anterior cruciate ligament (basketball, volleyball, and soccer) were compared with twenty-eight collegiate endurance athletes (fourteen men and fourteen women) participating in sports associated with a low risk of such injuries (bicycling, crew, and running). Male and female pairs were matched for age, height, weight, body mass index, shoe size, and activity level. Testing was performed with a weighted pendulum that applied a medially directed 80-N impulse force to the lateral aspect of the right forefoot. The resulting internal rotation of the leg was measured optically, to the nearest 0.25 degrees, at 30 degrees and 60 degrees of knee flexion, both with and without maximal activation of the knee muscles. RESULTS: Maximal rotations of the leg were greater in women than in men in both the passive and the active muscle state (16% and 27% greater [p = 0.01 and p = 0.02], respectively). Moreover, female athletes exhibited a significantly (18%) smaller volitional increase in apparent torsional stiffness of the knee under internal rotation loading than did the matched male athletes (p = 0.014); this was particularly the case for those who participated in sports involving jumping and pivoting maneuvers (42% difference between genders, p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The collegiate female athletes involved in high-risk sports exhibited less muscular protection of the knee ligaments during external loading of the knee than did size and sport-matched male athletes.

Analysis of Variance↗

PubMed1991

Low back pain in young athletes. A practical approach.

Lumbar spine pain accounts for 5 to 8% of athletic injuries. Although back pain is not the most common injury, it is one of the most challenging for the sports physician to diagnose and treat. Factors predisposing the young athlete to back injury include the growth spurt, abrupt increases in training intensity or frequency, improper technique, unsuitable sports equipment, and leg-length inequality. Poor strength of the back extensor and abdominal musculature, and inflexibility of the lumbar spine, hamstrings and hip flexor muscles may contribute to chronic low back pain. Excessive lifting and twisting may produce sprains and strains, the most common cause of low back pain in adolescents. Blows to the spine may create contusions or fractures. Fractures in adolescents from severe trauma include compression fracture, comminuted fracture, fracture of the growth plate at the vertebral end plate, lumbar transverse process fracture, and a fracture of the spinous process. Athletes who participate in sports involving repeated and forceful hyperextension of the spine may suffer from lumbar facet syndrome, spondylolysis, or spondylolisthesis. The large sacroiliac joint is also prone to irritation. The signs and symptoms of disc herniation in adolescents may be more subtle than in adults. Disorders simulating athletic injury include tumours and inflammatory connective tissue disease. Often, however, a specific diagnosis cannot be made in the young athlete with a low back injury due to the lack of pain localisation and the anatomic complexity of the lumbar spine. A thorough history and physical examination are usually more productive in determining a diagnosis and guiding treatment than imaging techniques. Diagnostic tests may be considered, though, for the adolescent athlete whose back pain is severe, was caused by acute trauma, or fails to improve with conservative therapy after several weeks. Radiographs, bone scanning, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging may help identify, or exclude serious pathology. Fortunately, the majority of cases of low back pain in adolescents respond to conservative therapy. Immediate treatment of an acute injury, such as a sprain or strain, includes cryotherapy, electrogalvanic stimulation, anti-inflammatory medications and gentle exercises. Prolonged bed rest should be avoided since atrophy may occur rapidly. Strong analgesics are also usually contraindicated, except for sleep, since they mask pain and may allow overvigorous activity. Early strengthening exercises include the Williams flexion exercises and/or McKenzie extension exercises. Both exercise motions may often be prescribed. Athletes with an acute disc herniation, however, should only perform extension exercises initially. Athletes with spondylolysis, spondylolisthesis and facet joint irritation should initially be limited to flexion exercises.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Adolescent↗

PubMed1992

The thoracolumbar spine in young elite athletes. Current concepts on the effects of physical training.

Due to the increased interest in physical fitness and to the fact that athletes start their training at younger ages the risk for injuries to the growing individual has increased. The spine, as with the rest of the skeleton, is at greater risk of injury during growth, especially during the adolescent growth spurt. Back pain is more common among athletes participating in sports with high demands on the back than other athletes and nonathletes. Disc degeneration, defined as disc height reduction on conventional radiographs and reduced disc signal intensity on MRI, has been found in a higher frequency among wrestlers and gymnasts than nonathletes. Abnormalities of the vertebral bodies including abnormal configuration, Schmorl's nodes and apophyseal changes are common among athletes. These abnormalities are similar to those found in Scheuermann's disease. Athletes with these types of abnormalities have more back pain than those without. Spondylolysis has been found in higher frequencies than expected among athletes representing many different sports. Spondylolysis has been reported in up to 50% of athletes with back pain. Scoliosis has been found in up to 80% of athletes with an asymmetric load on the trunk and shoulders, such as javelin throwers and tennis players. The scoliosis, however, is a small curvature and does not cause back pain.

Athletic Injuries↗