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Background Current return to learn (RTL) after concussion guidelines lack specificity for individualized student care, limiting potential for adoption and implementation. We used a community-engaged research framework to develop and evaluate the implementation of a student-centered care plan that assists school personnel in facilitating RTL. Methods We used best-practice RTL guidelines and input from administrators and medical experts to iteratively develop a flexible student-centered care plan. Thirteen schools participated. Coding completion of care plans indicated feasibility and fidelity; interviews with RTL coordinators indicated acceptability. Results The care plan includes educational materials, symptom checklists, and guidelines for classroom adjustments linked to student symptoms. Care plans were initiated for 24 (70.6%) of 34 students with concussions, indicating feasibility. Fidelity was high, with the following subsections completed: Action Checklist (90%), Symptom Evaluation (91%), Temporary Adjustment Recommendations (95%). Qualitative analysis of interviews suggested care plans were acceptable and facilitate consistent communication, prioritization of individual needs of students, and increased ability to delegate tasks to other school staff. Conclusions Implementation of a student-centered, individually tailored care plan for RTL is feasible and acceptable in public high schools. Future research should examine how to expediently initiate student-centered concussion care plans after diagnosis to optimize recovery.

Background Injury prevention programs have been shown to be effective for adolescent soccer, basketball, and handball athletes. Though injuries are common in high school runners, injury prevention programs have not been described for this population. Our objective was to trial an injury-prevention program styled after those found to be successful in other running and jumping sports to see if a group of running athletes sustained fewer and or less serious injuries during the course of a single high school track season. Methods Two suburban high school track coaches volunteered to participate in a program consisting of either injury-prevention exercises or no additional exercises as a part of pre-and in-season practice programs. All runners at each school were invited to participate, with informed consent obtained. The injury prevention program consisted of five jumping and plyometric exercises taught by a physical therapist, with a video of the exercises made available to the coach and team members throughout the season. Surveys pre- and post-season were collected which included demographic information, running history, diet, and injuries. Injuries were reported to coach and trainer at each school. Days of missed practice constituted an injured day, tallied for each runner and each team. A Chi-square analysis compared injury rates by team, and hence by intervention; injury rates by years of experience running; and injury rates by dietary preference. Results 24 runners, 13 from the intervention school and 11 from the control school participated. There was no significant difference in the number of running injuries reported when comparing the intervention group (4/13 runners) to the control group (3/11 runners, Chi-square = 0.035, p = 0.9). Runners with a greater number of years of competitive running experience trended towards having fewer injuries (p = 0.06). Those describing their diet as vegetarian (3/24) were significantly more likely to sustain an injury (p = 0.002). Conclusions / Significance With this limited comparison study examining the impact of an injury-prevention pre-season and in-season training program for running athletes participating on their high school track team, there was no evidence that the addition of a program of jumping and plyometric exercises had an impact on injury rates. However, combining the data from the two schools, we found a trend towards decreased injury likelihood in those with more years of experience running, and a significantly greater incidence of injuries in those who described their diet as vegetarian. These results suggest that novice runners should perhaps have a different set of expectations regarding the pre- and in-season training regimen, and that those whose diet is vegetarian consider review of their nutrition to optimize their energy level and reparative capacity with the increased activity of a high school track running program.

Background: Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is a heterogeneous group of chronic arthritides presenting in patients aged ≤16 years, with a prevalence of 16 to 150 per 100,000. Juvenile osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) is an idiopathic disease of articular cartilage and subchondral bone, has an onset age of 10 to 16 years, and often affects the knee, with a prevalence of 2 to 18 per 100,000. Currently, there are few studies that have evaluated the relationship between JIA and OCD. Hypothesis: OCD is more prevalent in children with JIA, and when diagnosed in such patients, OCD often presents at an advanced state. Study Design: Case series; Level of evidence, 4. Methods: The medical records of patients with diagnoses of both JIA and OCD treated between January 2008 and March 2019 at a single children’s hospital were retrospectively reviewed. Associations between timing of diagnoses, number and types of corticosteroid treatments, category of arthritis, timing of diagnoses, and lesion stability were examined with Spearman correlation coefficients. Results: A total of 2021 patients with JIA were identified, 20 of whom (19 female, 1 male) had OCD of the knee and/or talus for a prevalence of 1 in 100 or 1000 in 100,000, or approximately 50 to 500 times that of the general population. These 20 patients had a total of 28 OCD lesions: 43% (9 femur, 3 talus) were radiographically stable over time, 50% (10 femur, 2 patella, 2 talus) were unstable at initial diagnosis, and 7% (2 femur) were initially stable but progressed to unstable lesions despite drilling. Twelve patients (60%) underwent surgery: 4 (20%) with stable femoral lesions for persistent symptoms despite prolonged nonoperative treatment and 8 (40%) for treatment of their unstable lesions (femoral and patellar). Within our study design, we could identify no significant associations between lesion stability and timing of diagnoses, number of joint injections, or limb deformities, nor were there associations between timing of JIA and OCD diagnoses and category of arthritis. Conclusion: In our population of patients with JIA, OCD lesions were found to be 50 to 500 times more prevalent when compared with published rates in the general population and often presented at an advanced state, with instability or delayed healing requiring surgery for stabilization or resolution of symptoms.

Background: Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA) is an autoimmune disorder presenting with chronic arthritis with prevalence of 5-20/100,000. Juvenile osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) is an idiopathic disease of articular cartilage and subchondral bone, has onset at 10-16 years, often affects the knee and ankle with prevalence of 5-30/100,000. Hypothesis/Purpose: We hypothesize that OCD is more prevalent in JIA, and when diagnosed in JIA, OCD is advanced, often requiring surgery. Methods: This was a retrospective review of patients with JIA and OCD treated between January 2008 and March 2019 at one children’s hospital. We queried Department of Rheumatology records for JIA patients treated during this interval as well as Departments of Orthopedics and Radiology records for patients with OCD. Demographic information, classification of the stability of OCD lesions by review of magnetic resonance imaging, and clinical details of treatment were recorded. Results: 2,021 JIA patients were identified, 20 of whom (19 girls, 1 boy) had OCD of the knee and/or talus for a prevalence of 1/100 or 1000/100,000, or approximately 30-200x that of the general population. These 20 patients had a total of 28 OCD lesions: 43% (9 femur, 3 talus) were radiographically stable over time, 50% (10 femur, 2 patella, and 2 talus) were unstable at initial diagnosis, and 7% (femur) were initially stable but progressed to unstable lesions despite drilling. Eleven patients (55%) underwent surgery: 5 with stable femoral lesions for persistent symptoms despite prolonged non-operative treatment, and 6 for treatment of their unstable lesions (femur and patella). Of these 11 patients, 3 underwent two or more surgeries for OCDs, and 3 were treated with hemiepiphysiodesis for concomitant genu valgum. Conclusion: OCD lesions are 30-200x more prevalent in JIA compared to the general population. In JIA, OCD often presents at an advanced stage requiring surgery for stabilization. Patients with JIA may benefit by early screening, to potentially allow for treatment of an OCD lesion prior to the progression to instability.