Soon, the best athletes in the world will face each other at the Summer Olympics in Beijing. Many of them will sustain injuries, or seek to prevent them, and will be thankful that among their entourages are some of the best sports medicine professionals in the world. When an athlete collapses from fatigue, or something else, there will be a group…

Sport and recreational activity is a vital part of today's society, and athletic training researchers are playing an important role in gaining a better understanding of how to promote safe and healthy participation for athletes of all ages. This article aims to illustrate the importance of research to prevent and effectively treat sport and…

With proper training and safety precautions, windsurfing is relatively safe, but its unique equipment and unpredictable environmental conditions can produce serious injuries. Clinicians may see fall-related ankle injuries, tarsometatarsal injuries, or anterior shoulder dislocations; chronic low-back pain from torso stress; skin lacerations; and…

Sports medicine specialists are beginning to reexamine the causes and treatments of rotator cuff problems, questioning the role of primary impingement in a deficient or torn cuff and trying new surgical procedures as alternatives to the traditional open acromioplasty. (Author/CB)

Bodily responses to an anterior cruciate ligament injury can range from minor to very significant. Understanding factors influencing the course can help physicians determine effective treatment strategies. Certain patterns, such as complete disruption and participation in high-demand sports, highlight the need for an aggressive approach.…

Outlines rehabilitation concepts applicable to acute and chronic ankle injury, providing evidence for current techniques used in ankle rehabilitation and describing a functional rehabilitation program that progresses from basic to advanced, while taking into account empirical data from the literature and clinical practice. The article notes that…

Investigates whether chronic ankle instability can be prevented, discussing: the relationship between mechanical and functional instability; normal ankle mechanics, sequelae to lateral ankle sprains, and abnormal ankle mechanics; and tissue healing, joint dysfunction, and acute lateral ankle sprain management. The paper describes a treatment model…

Describes the medical, legal, and educational benefits of having a certified athletic trainer in the secondary school, explaining that they can prevent or lessen the severity of an injury or chance of re-injury. The article presents eight options for hiring a certified athletic trainer and offers suggestions and resources for locating one. (SM)

This article presents a pragmatic approach to the definition, diagnosis, and management of anterior knee pain. Symptoms and treatment are described. Emphasis is on active involvement of the patient in the rehabilitation exercise program. (IAH)

Investigation of ways to treat artificially induced acute inflammatory reactions in human tissue found that neither cooling or pressure alone reduced the swelling, while a combination of the two methods produced a significant reduction in swelling. (Author/CB)

Examined injury patterns in Little League baseball players over time, using insurance data from 17,221,210 players. Ball-related injuries were the most common. Batters had the greatest number of such injuries. One-quarter of the injuries were considered severe, and 13 players died. Though youth baseball appears to be very safe, there are areas…

Describes a quick, simple tie-through suture technique (in which a collodion packing is secured to the auricle with two buttons) for preventing cauliflower ear following external ear trauma in wrestlers and boxers. The technique ensures constant compression; multiple treatments for fluid reaccumulation are rarely necessary. (SM)

The prevalence of artificial playing surfaces and the use of shoes on football fields is associated with increased incidence of turf toe. Artificial turf decreases shock absorption, and lightweight shoes do not provide adequate support. Treatment is recommended because of the potential for long-term sequelae including hallux rigidus. (SM)

Mind-body exercises are spreading rapidly throughout the health, fitness, and rehabilitation fields. Many of the claimed benefits are not supported by clinical evidence. As alternative therapies, they carry legal and professional ramifications. Understanding the nature of mind-body exercise and knowing the scientific evidence behind claims for its…

The first purpose of this study was to determine a possible explanation for the variability in the response to eccentric exercise by having participants repeat the same exercise 1 year apart. The second purpose was to examine whether initial injury in response to eccentric exercise was associated with the extent of the repeated bout effect (RBE).…