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Background: During rehabilitation throwing programs, baseball players are commonly asked to throw at reduced levels of effort (ie, 50% effort, 75% effort, etc) to moderate stress to healing tissues. It is currently unknown how changes in players’ perceived exertion compares with changes in actual exertion during structured long-toss programs. Purpose: To determine whether decreased effort correlates with decreased throwing metrics, whether metrics decrease proportionally with reductions in perceived effort, and to quantify intrathrower variability. Study Design: Descriptive laboratory study. Methods: Sixty male high school and collegiate baseball pitchers participated in a structured throwing program. A motusBASEBALL sleeve was worn by all players, which measured elbow varus torque, arm velocity, arm slot, and shoulder rotation. Ball velocity was measured with a radar gun. Each pitcher threw 5 throws a distance of 120 ft with 3 efforts: maximum effort, 75% effort, and 50% effort. Throwing metrics were compared among the 3 levels of effort to see if each 25% decrease resulted in proportional decreases in elbow varus torque and ball velocity. Intrathrower variability was determined for each throwing metric at each degree of effort. Results: All throwing metrics decreased as players decreased their perceived effort (P < .001). However, these observed decreases were much smaller in magnitude than the decreases in perceived effort. During the 75% effort throws, elbow varus torque was only reduced to 93% of maximum and velocity dropped to 86% of maximum. Similarly, for the 50% effort throws, elbow varus torque remained 87% of max effort torque, while velocity remained 78% of max. Intrathrower reliability was considered excellent for most metrics (intraclass correlation coefficient, >0.75). Conclusion: For every 25% decrease in perceived effort, elbow varus torque only decreased 7% and velocity only decreased 11%. Thus, when players throw at what they perceive to be reduced effort, their actual throwing metrics do not decrease at the same rate as their perceived exertion. Clinical Relevance: Measured effort decreased with decreasing perceived effort, but these were not proportional. This has significant implications for physical therapists, physicians, trainers, coaches, and athletes to understand and monitor elbow stress during the rehabilitation process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The natural history of femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) remains incompletely understood. In particular, there is limited documentation of joint damage in adolescent patients with limited range of motion (LROM) of the hip, which is commonly associated with FAI. Purpose: To evaluate changes in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), radiographs, and clinical examinations over 5 years in a group of athletes from a wide variety of sports with asymptomatic LROM of the hip compared with matched controls. Study Design: Cohort study (prognosis); Level of evidence, 2. Methods: The authors screened 226 male and female athletes aged 12 to 18 years presenting for preparticipation sports physical examinations. Using a goniometer, we identified 13 participants with at least one hip having internal rotation <10° with the hip flexed to 90°. Overall, 21 of 26 hips (81%) had internal rotation <10°. These participants were age- and sex-matched to 13 controls with internal rotation >10°. At the time of enrollment, all participants were asymptomatic and underwent a complete hip examination and radiographic imaging with radiographs (anteroposterior [AP] and von Rosen views) and non-arthrogram MRI. Participants returned at 5-year follow-up and underwent repeat hip examinations, imaging (AP and lateral radiographs and non-arthrogram MRI), and hip function questionnaires. MRI scans were classified as “normal” versus “abnormal” based on the presence of any of 13 scored chondral, labral, or osseous abnormalities. Comparisons between the LROM group and control group were performed using generalized linear models (either linear, logistic, or log-binomial regression as appropriate for the outcome) with generalized estimating equations to account for the within-participant correlation due to patients having both hips included. Relative risk (RR) estimates are reported with 95% CIs. Results: At the time of study enrollment, 16 of 26 hips (62%) in the LROM group had abnormal MRI findings within the acetabular labrum or cartilage compared with 8 of 26 hips (31%) in the control group (RR, 2.0; 95% CI, 0.95-4.2; P = .067). The mean alpha angle measured from radial MRI sequences was 58° in the LROM group versus 44° in the control group (P < .0001). In the LROM group, 13 of 26 hips (50%) had a positive anterior impingement sign, whereas 0 of 26 hips (0%) had a positive anterior impingement sign in the control group. At 5-year follow-up, 18 of 19 hips (95%) in the LROM group had abnormal MRI findings compared with 14 of 26 hips (54%) in the control group (RR, 1.7; 95% CI, 1.1-2.7; P = .014). New or progressive findings were documented on MRI in 15 of 20 hips in the LROM group compared with 8 of 26 hips in the control group (RR, 2.4; 95% CI, 1.2-4.8; P = .011). Six of 22 hips (27%) in the LROM group progressed from Tönnis grade 0 to Tönnis grade 1 in degenerative changes, whereas all 26 hips in the control group remained at Tönnis grade 0 on hip radiographs. In the LROM group, 11 of 22 hips (50%) had a positive anterior impingement sign, whereas 1 of 26 hips (4%) had a positive anterior impingement sign in the control group. A cam deformity (alpha angle >55° on lateral radiographs) was present in 20 of 22 hips (91%) in the LROM group and 12 of 26 hips (46%) in the control group (P = .0165). The following variables at baseline were associated with an increased risk of degenerative changes at 5-year follow-up for the entire cohort: decreased hip internal rotation, positive anterior impingement sign, decreased hip flexion, increased alpha angle, and presence of a cam lesion. Conclusion: At 5 years, young athletes with LROM of the hip showed increased progressive degenerative changes on MRI and radiographs compared with matched controls. Although the majority of these participants remained asymptomatic, those with features of FAI had radiographic findings consistent with early osteoarthritis. These outcomes suggest that more aggressive screening and counseling of young active patients may be helpful to prevent hip osteoarthritis in those with FAI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Reconstruction of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears may potentially prevent the development of secondary meniscal injuries and arthritis. Purpose/Hypothesis: The purpose of this study was to (1) evaluate the protective benefit of ACL reconstruction (ACLR) in preventing subsequent meniscal tears or arthritis, (2) determine if earlier ACLR (<1 year after injury) offers greater protective benefits than delayed reconstruction (≥1 year after injury), and (3) evaluate factors predictive of long-term sequelae after ACLR. The hypothesis was that the incidence of secondary meniscal tears, arthritis, and total knee arthroplasty (TKA) would be higher in patients treated nonoperatively after ACL tears than patients treated with surgical reconstruction. Study Design: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods: This retrospective study included a population-based incidence cohort of 964 patients with new-onset, isolated ACL tears between 1990 and 2000 as well as an age- and sex-matched cohort of 964 patients without ACL tears. A chart review was performed to collect information related to the initial injury, treatment, and outcomes. A total of 509 patients were treated with early ACLR, 91 with delayed ACLR, and 364 nonoperatively. All patients were retrospectively followed (range, 2 months to 25 years) to determine the development of subsequent meniscal tears, arthritis, or TKA. Results: At a mean follow-up of 13.7 years, patients treated nonoperatively after ACL tears had a significantly higher likelihood of developing a secondary meniscal tear (hazard ratio [HR], 5.4; 95% CI, 3.8-7.6), being diagnosed with arthritis (HR, 6.0; 95% CI, 4.3-8.4), and undergoing TKA (HR, 16.7; 95% CI, 5.0-55.2) compared with patients treated with ACLR. Similarly, patients treated with delayed ACLR had a higher likelihood of developing a secondary meniscal tear (HR, 3.9; 95% CI, 2.2-6.9) and being diagnosed with arthritis (HR, 6.2; 95% CI, 3.4-11.4) compared with patients treated with early ACLR. Age >21 years at the time of injury, articular cartilage damage, and medial/lateral meniscal tears were predictive of arthritis after ACLR. Conclusion: Patients treated with ACLR have a significantly lower risk of secondary meniscal tears, symptomatic arthritis, and TKA when compared with patients treated nonoperatively after ACL tears. Similarly, early ACLR significantly reduces the risk of subsequent meniscal tears and arthritis compared with delayed ACLR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Provides information on a study that demonstrated that both full and partial facial protection significantly reduce injuries to the eye and face without increasing neck injuries and concussions. Methodology of the study; Results and discussion on the study.