Marcos Quintana-Cepedal, Omar de la Calle, Hugo Olmedillas
{"title":"Return to play after conservative treatment of complete adductor longus tendon rupture in a semi-professional football player: a case report with a 1-year follow up.","authors":"Marcos Quintana-Cepedal, Omar de la Calle, Hugo Olmedillas","doi":"10.1080/15438627.2025.2543089","DOIUrl":"10.1080/15438627.2025.2543089","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This case report details the conservative management of a complete adductor longus tendon tear in a semi-professional forward footballer. The injury occurred while reaching for the ball with the uninjured limb, with the injured limb in closed kinetic chain. After confirming the injury severity with a magnetic resonance scan, the medical team opted for a conservative approach due to the small tendon retraction. Treatment was based on task progression, ensuring the player could complete exercises with tolerated pain. Rehabilitation consisted of unsupervised gym and on-field exercises progressed separately, including overall strength, mobility, adductor strength, balance, plyometrics, running, kicking and small-sided games. Additionally, pain during the squeeze test and eccentric adduction strength were assessed at different points. The player returned to play 96 days after the injury and has remained active since. The framework supported a safe return to play without surgery or the need for supervised rehabilitation sessions.</p>","PeriodicalId":20958,"journal":{"name":"Research in Sports Medicine","volume":" ","pages":"155-162"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144776073","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Marija Milas, Elena Milenković, Lucija Milčić, Josipa Radaš
{"title":"Comparative analysis of injury profiles in artistic and rhythmic gymnastics.","authors":"Marija Milas, Elena Milenković, Lucija Milčić, Josipa Radaš","doi":"10.1080/15438627.2025.2528860","DOIUrl":"10.1080/15438627.2025.2528860","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Injuries are common in both artistic and rhythmic gymnastics due to intense training, biomechanics, and previous injuries. Despite different apparatus and movement patterns, both disciplines pose a high injury risk. This study compared injury prevalence, types, affected body regions, and risk factors between artistic and rhythmic gymnasts. A retrospective survey was conducted in gymnastics clubs with 92 female gymnasts (39 artistic, 53 rhythmic), aged 7-24 years. Since the data were not normally distributed, the Mann-Whitney U-test was used. Artistic gymnasts had a significantly higher injury rate (2.95 per career) compared to rhythmic gymnasts (0.96; <i>p</i> < .01). The Kruskal-Wallis test showed no significant differences across athlete categories (<i>p</i> = .07), but training frequency (<i>p</i> < .001) and experience level (<i>p</i> < .001) influenced injury numbers. Post hoc tests revealed that gymnasts training five times per week reported more injuries. Chi-square tests showed that shoulder, wrist, elbow, and ankle injuries were more common in artistic gymnastics. Artistic gymnasts also required more intensive treatments. Most injuries occurred during training. The most frequent treatment was rest with cooling and creams, followed by physical therapy. Recovery time was longer in artistic gymnasts, with some taking over six months to return.</p>","PeriodicalId":20958,"journal":{"name":"Research in Sports Medicine","volume":" ","pages":"111-126"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144584610","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Effectiveness of an online multi-component exercise-based injury prevention program on running-related injury risk in recreational runners: a randomized controlled trial.","authors":"Aynollah Naderi, Ali Yasemi, Seyed Hamed Mousavi","doi":"10.1080/15438627.2025.2558950","DOIUrl":"10.1080/15438627.2025.2558950","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Exercise-based injury prevention programmes for runners often show inconsistent results, potentially due to inadequate targeting of modifiable intrinsic risk factors. This randomized controlled trial assessed the effectiveness of an online, multi-component exercise programme in reducing running-related injuries (RRIs) among recreational runners over nine months. A total of 264 runners (mean age 35.9 ± 13.1 years) were randomly assigned to an intervention (<i>n</i> = 135) or control group (<i>n</i> = 129). The intervention included 11 exercises focusing on core strength, flexibility, and neuromuscular control, performed 2-4 times weekly for 15-30 minutes. The control group maintained their usual running routine. Injuries were self-reported every two weeks. During the study, 30.3% of participants reported at least one new injury, with an overall incidence rate of 6.52 injuries per 1000 running hours. The intervention group had significantly lower rates of overall RRIs (4.62 vs. 8.71 per 1000 hours; IRR = 0.53, 95% CI: 0.37-0.77, <i>p</i> = 0.004) and overuse injuries (4.04 vs. 7.61; <i>p</i> = 0.001), representing 47% and 54% risk reductions, respectively. No significant difference was observed for acute injuries. These findings indicate that a structured, online, multi-component programme targeting key intrinsic risk factors can significantly reduce the incidence of running-related and overuse injuries. This scalable approach supports safer and more sustainable running practices among recreational athletes.</p>","PeriodicalId":20958,"journal":{"name":"Research in Sports Medicine","volume":" ","pages":"217-237"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145041288","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Letter to the editor Re: quintana-Cepedal M, de la calle O, olmedillas H. Return to play after conservative treatment of complete adductor longus tendon rupture in a semi-professional football player: a case report with a 1-year follow up. Research in sports medicine. 2025. doi:10.1080/15438627.2025.2543089.","authors":"Volkan Buyukarslan","doi":"10.1080/15438627.2025.2557305","DOIUrl":"10.1080/15438627.2025.2557305","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>We wish to comment on the recent case report by Quintana-Cepedal et al. which highlights successful conservative management of a complete adductor longus rupture in a football player. In our retrospective cohort of 111 athletes with MRI-confirmed adductor lesions, we similarly observed high return-to-sport rates following structured exercise therapy, comparable to injection-based interventions. Taken together, these reports reinforce the role of exercise-based rehabilitation as a cornerstone in the management of both acute and chronic adductor injuries. We also emphasize the potential importance of supervised exercise programs and the need for further studies to clarify long-term outcomes.</p>","PeriodicalId":20958,"journal":{"name":"Research in Sports Medicine","volume":" ","pages":"238-239"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145024146","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
John DesRochers, Alexis Chow, David Rubin, Altamash Raja
{"title":"Effect of gait retraining in minimalist footwear or barefoot on running footstrike and cadence: a systematic review.","authors":"John DesRochers, Alexis Chow, David Rubin, Altamash Raja","doi":"10.1080/15438627.2025.2543094","DOIUrl":"10.1080/15438627.2025.2543094","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Gait retraining programs take a structured approach to altering a runner's gait, often with the goal of decreasing footstrike angle and increasing cadence, as these outcomes have been correlated to a reduced rate of injury and optimal performance. Minimalist footwear, or running barefoot entirely, has been explored as a tool for gait adjustment in runners, largely due to the increased feedback from ground forces experienced by the runner. This systematic review aims to decipher the effect of gait retraining with minimalist footwear or barefoot running on footstrike angle and cadence. The comparison group included runners that underwent gait retraining in traditional footwear. Results showed a statistically significant decrease in footstrike angle, indicating more forefoot striking, in the experimental group, but no significant changes in cadence. This demonstrates promise in utilizing minimalist footwear or barefoot running as an adjunct to gait retraining in runners.</p>","PeriodicalId":20958,"journal":{"name":"Research in Sports Medicine","volume":" ","pages":"163-175"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144785153","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Shuting Ji, Hong Lu, Zhaohong Sun, Ting Chen, Zhencheng Li
{"title":"Acute effects of prolonged durations of static stretching on athletic performance and flexibility.","authors":"Shuting Ji, Hong Lu, Zhaohong Sun, Ting Chen, Zhencheng Li","doi":"10.1080/15438627.2025.2547203","DOIUrl":"10.1080/15438627.2025.2547203","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study aimed to examine the acute effects of prolonged static stretching (SS) versus dynamic stretching (DS), followed by either tennis-specific activation or rest, on physical performance in collegiate tennis players. A randomized crossover trial was conducted with 31 collegiate tennis players. Each participant completed three interventions: (A) SS + activation, (B) DS + activation, and (C) SS + rest. Lower limb muscles were stretching for 3 minutes per group. The activation were tennis footwork drill for 6 minutes. Physical performance was assessed after stretching and after activation using sit-and-reach flexibility, standing long jump (SLJ), agility T-Test, and hand grip strength. Two-way repeated-measures ANOVA was used. Immediately after stretching, SS significantly improved flexibility (sit-and-reach: <i>p</i> < 0.05) but impaired SLJ performance (<i>p</i> < 0.05) and agility (<i>p</i> < 0.05) compared to DS. Crucially, after sport-specific activation exercises, the initial performance declines observed following SS were mitigated, resulting in no significant differences between SS and DS in subsequent SLJ and T-Test performances. Prolonged SS improves flexibility, it temporarily impair agility and explosive performance, however, these drawbacks can be effectively offset through subsequent sport-specific activation exercise.</p>","PeriodicalId":20958,"journal":{"name":"Research in Sports Medicine","volume":" ","pages":"205-216"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144837444","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Ieuan Cranswick, A Jones, C Brogden, L Mayhew, C Minshull
{"title":"Rehabilitation remodelled: a narrative review of injury rehabilitation models and proposal of a multi-component MSK rehabilitation model.","authors":"Ieuan Cranswick, A Jones, C Brogden, L Mayhew, C Minshull","doi":"10.1080/15438627.2025.2547191","DOIUrl":"10.1080/15438627.2025.2547191","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Musculoskeletal injuries are common in both general and sporting populations and contribute to significant healthcare costs, lost workdays and compromised performance of daily activity and sport. Despite various rehabilitation models being available to health and rehabilitation practitioners, there are some inconsistencies in structure, terminology and specificity across these. The current narrative review critically evaluates existing rehabilitation models, frameworks and phased approaches, identifying limitations related to structure, content and specificity. Additionally, a novel multicomponent exercise rehabilitation model is proposed which adopts a non-linear, concurrent approach to attribute development and integration of progression guidance. Using a multicomponent approach, a structured yet adaptable progression framework is provided that could help optimize rehabilitation outcomes, minimize detraining and enhance individuals' readiness for return to sport or daily activity.</p>","PeriodicalId":20958,"journal":{"name":"Research in Sports Medicine","volume":" ","pages":"176-204"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144874971","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Adam J Petway, Reuben F Burch, David N Saucier, Zachary M Gillen, Ernest Rimer, Scott Epsley, Randy Forbes
{"title":"Examining prior injury relative to anterior cruciate ligament tears in National Basketball Association players.","authors":"Adam J Petway, Reuben F Burch, David N Saucier, Zachary M Gillen, Ernest Rimer, Scott Epsley, Randy Forbes","doi":"10.1080/15438627.2025.2532524","DOIUrl":"10.1080/15438627.2025.2532524","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The purpose of this study is to determine the prior injury patterns in relationship to the subsequent new injuries of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears within the National Basketball Association (NBA). A systematic search was performed of two publicly available online sources to aggregate the injury history of athletes who sustained anterior cruciate ligament tears within the National Basketball Association. To examine previous injury trends by mechanism of injury, each injury was then further sub-classified into three previously identified mechanisms: 1) single leg casting; 2) bilateral pro-hop; 3) single-leg landing after contact. One hundred and twenty-five occurrences of ACL injuries were reviewed between 1981 and 2023. For each ACL injury, the involved player's injury history was recorded including the injury report date, location, type/categorization, most recent game played, and days missed due to injury. Thirty-four ACL injuries were preceded by a time-loss injury (at least 1 game missed) within 90 days, including 14 within 30 days. Previous knee and/or ankle injuries occurred within one-year of 40% of the ACL tears. Understanding the link between previous minor and moderate injury and subsequent major injury will help practitioners better identify and stratify risk when considering return to competition.</p>","PeriodicalId":20958,"journal":{"name":"Research in Sports Medicine","volume":" ","pages":"127-140"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144619860","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Gianmarco Pinto, Luca Di Bartolo, Antonino Scardina, Masatoshi Nakamura, Konstantin Warneke, Antonino Patti, Marianna Bellafiore, Antonino Bianco, Ewan Thomas
{"title":"Acute effects of foam rolling on local and remote range of motion: a myofascial perspective?","authors":"Gianmarco Pinto, Luca Di Bartolo, Antonino Scardina, Masatoshi Nakamura, Konstantin Warneke, Antonino Patti, Marianna Bellafiore, Antonino Bianco, Ewan Thomas","doi":"10.1080/15438627.2025.2532525","DOIUrl":"10.1080/15438627.2025.2532525","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study aimed to investigate the acute local and remote effects of foam rolling (FR) applied to the knee flexors, and its influence on cervical spine range of motion (ROM). Given the anatomical continuity within the superficial back line, outcomes were also assessed at the cervical spine to explore potential myofascial chain-mediated effects. Thirty-seven participants (25.4 ± 4.28 years) completed two conditions: a control condition (CC) and an FR intervention applied exclusively to the right thigh's knee flexors. Outcome measures reported were collected both locally (right-knee flexors) and remotely (cervical spine) and included skin temperature (TsK), tissue hardness (TH), and ROM, assessed at baseline and immediately post-intervention. No significant changes in TsK were observed. TH significantly decreased in the biceps femoris (<i>p</i> < 0.001), semitendinosus/semimembranosus complex (<i>p</i> < 0.001) and right cervical region (<i>p</i> = 0.021), but not in the left cervical region (<i>p</i> = 0.279). All ROM measures showed statistically significant improvements following FR (p < 0.001 to p = 0.006), including right hip flexion, cervical flexion and extension, right and left cervical rotation, and right and left cervical inclination . FR acutely increased ROM both locally and remotely, accompanied by reductions in TH without changes in TsK. Notwithstanding the transmission of forces through myofascial chains remains a plausible explanation, the observed improvements in remote ROM, without a concomitant thermal change, may indicate the contribution of alternative mechanisms, such as neurophysiological adaptations, that warrant further investigation.</p>","PeriodicalId":20958,"journal":{"name":"Research in Sports Medicine","volume":" ","pages":"141-154"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144660011","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Wanzhen Yao, Siyu Dai, Jing Zhou, Xinmiao Mao, Jianping Ding, Jie Liu, Jie Huang
{"title":"A prospective cohort study on MRI characteristics and associated factors of ankle injuries in amateur marathon runners.","authors":"Wanzhen Yao, Siyu Dai, Jing Zhou, Xinmiao Mao, Jianping Ding, Jie Liu, Jie Huang","doi":"10.1080/15438627.2025.2527230","DOIUrl":"10.1080/15438627.2025.2527230","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>To explore the MRI characteristics and associated factors of ankle injuries in amateur marathon runners through a prospective cohort study, with particular emphasis on the role of running pace.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>72 amateur marathon runners as the study group, alongside 32 healthy volunteers serving as the control group. MRI findings and risk factors, including foot strike pattern, running pace (divided into < 6:00 min/s/km and ≥ 6:00 min/s/km), and running years, were analysed using chi-square tests.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Amateur marathon runners exhibited higher prevalence of ankle injuries, including peritendinous effusion, chronic lateral collateral ligament injuries, and Achilles tendinopathy. Faster running pace ( < 6:00 min/s/km) was identified as a novel risk factor for anterior talofibular ligament injuries (78.2% vs. 60.0%, <i>p</i> = 0.039). Female sex was associated with calcaneofibular ligament injuries (<i>p</i> = 0.012), while non-rearfoot strike pattern and greater running years ( > 3 years) increased the risk of Achilles tendinopathy (<i>p</i> = 0.044 and <i>p</i> = 0.042, respectively).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Running pace emerged as a critical factor in anterior talofibular ligament injuries, highlighting the need to monitor training intensity alongside volume. These findings provide evidence for injury prevention strategies targeting running biomechanics and training parameters.</p>","PeriodicalId":20958,"journal":{"name":"Research in Sports Medicine","volume":" ","pages":"91-110"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144567767","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}