Kaiyue Diao, Xiangyun Min, Tong Zhang, Yuying Su, Chengkun Ji
{"title":"The effects of blood flow restriction combined with low-intensity resistance training on muscle strength and pain during postoperative recovery in patients with knee injuries: a meta-analysis.","authors":"Kaiyue Diao, Xiangyun Min, Tong Zhang, Yuying Su, Chengkun Ji","doi":"10.1080/15438627.2025.2511110","DOIUrl":"10.1080/15438627.2025.2511110","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>To investigate the effects of low-load blood flow restriction training (LL-BFRT) on muscle strength and pain during postoperative rehabilitation in patients with knee injuries. A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted in accordance with PRISMA guidelines. Comprehensive searches through PubMed, EBSCO, Cochrane, Web of Science, and Embase yielded 1049 articles, of which 13 studies met the inclusion criteria. Quantitative analyses were performed using Review Manager 5.3 and Stata. LL-BFRT showed a significant positive effect on muscle strength, with a standardized mean difference (SMD) of 0.70 (<i>p</i> < 0.00001, 95%CI: 0.49, 0.92, I2 = 42%, <i>p</i> = 0.07). In terms of pain reduction, LL-BFRT significantly lowered the outcome of visual analog scale (VAS), with an SMD of -0.60 (<i>p</i> < 0.00001, 95% CI: -0.85, -0.36, I2 = 0%, <i>p</i> = 0.44). LL-BFRT effectively improves muscle strength and reduces pain in patients recovering from knee injuries postoperatively. It presents an alternative rehabilitation method for patients who are unable to perform high-intensity resistance training.</p>","PeriodicalId":20958,"journal":{"name":"Research in Sports Medicine","volume":" ","pages":"669-683"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144192132","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":"Elite football players achieve pre-injury running performance despite MRI lesions after return to play without increased risk of recurrence.","authors":"Eduard Bezuglov, Sergey Izmailov, Evgeny Goncharov, Alesya Grinchenko, Omid Etemad, Mikhail Vinogradov, Matvey Irinin, Georgiy Malyakin","doi":"10.1080/15438627.2025.2517225","DOIUrl":"10.1080/15438627.2025.2517225","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Aim of this prospective cohort study was to assess the value of MRI findings as a return to play (RTP) criterion in relation of safety to achieve pre-injury running performance in the initial days after RTP. All acute non-contact muscle injuries sustained by first-team and farm-team football players of a leading country club from January 2023 to December 2024 were analysed. The rehabilitation was performed according to the control chaos continuum framework. A total of 69 acute primary non-contact muscle injuries occurred during the study period. In twelve cases, MRI was performed both immediately after injury and after RTP (control MRI). The Players returning to play after 29 ± 15.53 days. Control MRI showed that while the degree of injury remained unchanged, the volume of the oedema had decreased (<i>p</i> < 0.001). Peak speed, deceleration, and acceleration intensity were comparable to pre-injury levels post-RTP (<i>p</i> = 0.237, <i>p</i> = 0.184, and <i>p</i> = 0.398, respectively). MRI changes persist after RTP seeming not to impair the ability to perform sport-specific activities at pre-injury levels, nor did they increase the risk of injury recurrence in the participants of this study.</p>","PeriodicalId":20958,"journal":{"name":"Research in Sports Medicine","volume":" ","pages":"684-694"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144258907","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}
Hatice Ceylan, Dilek Sayar, Murat Zinnuroglu, Gülçin Kaymak Karataş
{"title":"A cause not to be underestimated in the development of winged scapula: sports-related injuries.","authors":"Hatice Ceylan, Dilek Sayar, Murat Zinnuroglu, Gülçin Kaymak Karataş","doi":"10.1080/15438627.2025.2502364","DOIUrl":"10.1080/15438627.2025.2502364","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Winged scapula (WS) is characterized by the medial and/or inferior border of the scapula protruding from the thoracic wall. The aetiologies include sports activities, trauma, surgical complications, infections and muscular dystrophies. In our study, we aim to describe the electrophysiological and clinical features of patients referred to our clinic with a preliminary diagnosis of winged scapula and to identify the causes of WS. Between 2009 and 2021, a retrospective analysis was performed of the neurophysiological studies and clinical data of patients who presented with a preliminary diagnosis of winged scapula, long thoracic nerve and/or accessory nerve lesions. Of the 81 patients examined, 27 were found to have nerve damage. A retrospective review of the medical history of these 27 patients revealed that 37% (11 patients) had sports-related injuries as the cause of scapular winging. In addition, scapular winging was found in 4% (1 patient) due to heavy lifting without regular sport activity. We found that 80% of patients with sports-related injuries had a history of weightlifting. This study presents a relatively large number of patients with winged scapula. It was found that weightlifting and bodybuilding in particular play a significant role in the aetiology of WS.</p>","PeriodicalId":20958,"journal":{"name":"Research in Sports Medicine","volume":" ","pages":"625-633"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144042902","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}
Christopher Keating, Maxime Lepage, Ricker Adkins, Brandon Fredhoff, Stephen Thomas
{"title":"Short-term neurophysiological response after spinal thrust manipulation to guide return-to-throwing in collegiate pitchers: a randomized crossover pilot study.","authors":"Christopher Keating, Maxime Lepage, Ricker Adkins, Brandon Fredhoff, Stephen Thomas","doi":"10.1080/15438627.2025.2506121","DOIUrl":"10.1080/15438627.2025.2506121","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Overhead throwing athletes experience high injury rates throughout the body. While previous studies have focused on risk factors and injury prevention strategies, few have explored the potential of neurophysiological markers like pressure pain threshold (PPT) to guide return-to-throwing decisions. This study aims to investigate the utility of physical performance tests and PPT changes after spinal thrust manipulation (STM) as biomarkers to predict performance and reduce injury risk in overhead throwing athletes. Baseball pitchers were recruited through convenience sampling at an NCAA Division II university. Participants were randomly allocated to STM or sham over a 1-2-week washout period. Performance and clinical measures were performed following interventions in both conditions. Medicine ball scoop test distance emerged as the strongest predictor of throwing velocity (<i>R</i> = 0.713, R<sup>2</sup> = 0.509, <i>p</i> = <0.001). Combining MB distance with STM-induced change in PPT further improved the model's predictive power (<i>R</i> = 0.794, R<sup>2</sup> = 0.630, <i>p</i> = <0.001). Medicine ball scoop test is a potential tool for evaluating throwing velocity capacity and informing return-to-throwing decisions. STM-induced changes in PPT may be a novel biomarker for identifying pitchers with greater neurophysiological modulation and potential for higher performance.</p>","PeriodicalId":20958,"journal":{"name":"Research in Sports Medicine","volume":" ","pages":"648-660"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144080034","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}
Kecui Fu, Yang Yu, Jinhui Li, Juping Chen, Yunfeng Du, Xiujuan Xu, Delai Zhou
{"title":"Emerging strategies in anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury prevention: from biomechanics to neuromuscular training.","authors":"Kecui Fu, Yang Yu, Jinhui Li, Juping Chen, Yunfeng Du, Xiujuan Xu, Delai Zhou","doi":"10.1080/15438627.2025.2521477","DOIUrl":"10.1080/15438627.2025.2521477","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The adverse consequences of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries on athlete performance and recovery time have made them a major issue in sports medicine. In fact, women's ACL injury rates have remained unchanged for more than 20 years, and they are 3-6 times more likely to get an injury than males. Although a large body of research has examined biomechanical risk factors (e.g. incorrect knee alignment or joint stress during sports activities), very little has been done to explicitly link these biomechanical insights to neuromuscular training regimens. For athletes who run the risk of suffering an ACL injury, proper prophylaxis and prevention are essential, especially for non-contact injuries. A thorough knowledge of the processes, risk factors, and aetiological factors behind sports injuries is necessary for adequate prevention. This paper aims to present a thorough overview of ACL, emphasizing the role of biomechanics in ACL and neuromuscular training programmes.</p>","PeriodicalId":20958,"journal":{"name":"Research in Sports Medicine","volume":" ","pages":"722-743"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144476542","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}
Jovan Kuzmanovic, Nikola Todorovic, Marijana Ranisavljev, Dejan Javorac, Darinka Korovljev, Alex Tarnava, Valdemar Stajer, Sergej M Ostojic
{"title":"The effects of drinking hydrogen-rich water for six weeks on exercise-related biomarkers in exercise-naïve men and women over 50 years following resistance training program: a randomized controlled pilot trial.","authors":"Jovan Kuzmanovic, Nikola Todorovic, Marijana Ranisavljev, Dejan Javorac, Darinka Korovljev, Alex Tarnava, Valdemar Stajer, Sergej M Ostojic","doi":"10.1080/15438627.2025.2521474","DOIUrl":"10.1080/15438627.2025.2521474","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The primary objective of this pilot study was to assess the impact of consuming hydrogen-rich water (HRW) for a duration of six weeks on exercise-related biomarkers in previously untrained men and women aged over 50 years, subsequent to a resistance training program. Twenty-seven apparently healthy middle-aged adults (age 57.6 ± 6.7 years; 18 females) voluntarily provided written consent to participate in this randomized, placebo-controlled experimental trial. All participants were allocated in a double-blind parallel-group design to receive either HRW (12 mg of dihydrogen per serving) or control water (<0.1 ppm of dihydrogen) administered two times per day during a 6-week intervention interval. Muscle performance indices showed a significant improvement following both HRW and control water interventions compared to the baseline values (<i>p</i> ≤ 0.05). HRW led to a significant increase in serum free testosterone and cortisol levels, along with reductions in total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol levels at the follow-up (<i>p</i> ≤ 0.05). Moreover, HRW significantly outperformed the control water in reducing biomarkers of acute muscular damage caused by resistance exercise (<i>p</i> ≤ 0.05) and tended to outcompete placebo in improving sleep quality (<i>p</i> = 0.119). HRW could be advanced as a risk-free and effective beverage for promoting training-specific adaptations in exercise-naïve men and women over 50 years of age.</p>","PeriodicalId":20958,"journal":{"name":"Research in Sports Medicine","volume":" ","pages":"711-721"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144310360","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}
Luca Petrigna, Alessandra Amato, Martina Sortino, Marta Zanghì, Giuseppe Musumeci
{"title":"Exploratory study on the feasibility of knee thermography evaluation in different body fat percentage.","authors":"Luca Petrigna, Alessandra Amato, Martina Sortino, Marta Zanghì, Giuseppe Musumeci","doi":"10.1080/15438627.2025.2505017","DOIUrl":"10.1080/15438627.2025.2505017","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Infrared thermography is increasingly adopted for pre-diagnosis and monitoring of different conditions. Knee osteoarthritis is widely studied and this pathology is often associated with obesity. Body fat is a confounding factor in the thermal imagine evaluation. Consequently, this study correlated the body fat percentage evaluated with the bioelectrical impedance analysis and thermal imagine of the knee region. Healthy young adults were recruited. The skin knee temperature and the bioelectrical impedance analysis were collected. A linear regression analysis was performed between the basal skin temperature of the knee region and weight, total fat percentage, right-leg and left-leg fat percentage. No associations were detected with weight, total fat percentage, and legs fat percentage. In the knee, in which the fat percentage is generally low, the fat percentage could be secondary in influencing the evaluation. This seems to make obesity not a limit during the skin thermal evaluation of the knee region.</p>","PeriodicalId":20958,"journal":{"name":"Research in Sports Medicine","volume":" ","pages":"634-647"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144036675","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}
Claudia Zimmerman, Enora Le Flao, Nicholas J Cecchi, Jessica A Towns, Sohrab Sami, Michael Zeineh, Gerald Grant, David B Camarillo
{"title":"Repetitive head impact exposure in collegiate wrestling practices using instrumented mouthguard technology.","authors":"Claudia Zimmerman, Enora Le Flao, Nicholas J Cecchi, Jessica A Towns, Sohrab Sami, Michael Zeineh, Gerald Grant, David B Camarillo","doi":"10.1080/15438627.2025.2509539","DOIUrl":"10.1080/15438627.2025.2509539","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Collegiate wrestling presents a higher risk of concussion than American football. However, there is limited research on repetitive head impact exposure in wrestling, and how it compares to football is unknown. Therefore, this study explores repetitive head impacts in Division 1 collegiate wrestlers (<i>n</i> = 11, age = 20 ± 2 years, 125-285 lbs) during the 2019-2020 wrestling season. Using an instrumented mouthguard, we examined impact numbers and head kinematics, including linear acceleration, angular velocity, and angular acceleration. Of the 246 true positive impacts identified, 60% were head-to-body, 30.1% head-to-head, and 9.9% head-to-ground. Although head-to-ground impacts demonstrated higher magnitudes, differences were not significant. The median PLA was 39.89 g, which is higher than previous reports of head impacts in football. This study provides insights for future wrestling research and the development of safety interventions, such as protective headgear or specialized training exercises, to reduce risks of brain trauma for wrestlers.</p>","PeriodicalId":20958,"journal":{"name":"Research in Sports Medicine","volume":" ","pages":"661-668"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144619861","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 Saucier, Zachary M Gillen, Scott Epsley, Randy Forbes, Jacob Hurwitz, Josh King
{"title":"Examining prior injury relative to Achilles tendon ruptures in National Basketball Association players.","authors":"Adam J Petway, Reuben F Burch, David Saucier, Zachary M Gillen, Scott Epsley, Randy Forbes, Jacob Hurwitz, Josh King","doi":"10.1080/15438627.2025.2481894","DOIUrl":"10.1080/15438627.2025.2481894","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The purpose of this study is to examine Achilles Tendon (AT) rupture and prior injury in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Publicly available data was sourced via two online databases and filtered to identify those reported as having sustained AT rupture. A full injury history was then generated for those players. A total of 51 AT ruptures were identified. Thirty-five per cent (18) had previously missed at least one game for \"Achilles tendinitis\" or \"Achilles tendon injury\" on the side of the affected limb. A further 18% were noted to have suffered plantar fasciitis or foot inflammation (9) or previous ankle injury (9). Seven previous injuries were knee related, and five were described as calf muscle injuries. The remaining three had prior soft tissue injuries to the quadriceps, hamstring or groin. Understanding any potential association between previous small time-loss injuries and large time-loss injuries such Achilles tendon ruptures is an important step in advancing injury risk mitigation strategies in professional basketball.</p>","PeriodicalId":20958,"journal":{"name":"Research in Sports Medicine","volume":" ","pages":"525-536"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143674502","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}
Weiwei Ding, Lei Ding, Li Li, Feng Ding, Rui Gong, Bing Chen, Mengying Xu, Jian Li, Pan Zhang
{"title":"The role of MRI in elbow osteochondritis dissecans: correlations with intraoperative findings and implications for clinical management.","authors":"Weiwei Ding, Lei Ding, Li Li, Feng Ding, Rui Gong, Bing Chen, Mengying Xu, Jian Li, Pan Zhang","doi":"10.1080/15438627.2025.2487904","DOIUrl":"10.1080/15438627.2025.2487904","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) of the elbow is common in adolescent athletes, causing functional impairment. This study examined the clinical, imaging, and intraoperative characteristics of OCD lesions, evaluating MRI's diagnostic and prognostic value, and identifying factors affecting recovery. The study included 119 athletes, 22 with confirmed OCD. Data on demographics, clinical features, and MRI findings were collected, along with preoperative assessments and outcomes (time to return to sport and QuickDASH scores). MRI lesion size correlated with intraoperative measurements (<i>r</i> = 0.81, <i>p</i> < 0.001) but was poor at assessing stability (<i>r</i> = -0.088, <i>p</i> = 0.696). Larger lesions and lateral wall involvement were associated with instability and prolonged recovery. Factors like lesion size, Tanner Stage III, and left-handed dominance were linked to OCD risk. Larger lesions predicted delayed recovery. MRI is useful for lesion characterization but limited in predicting stability and outcomes. Early detection and management are crucial for optimal recovery.</p>","PeriodicalId":20958,"journal":{"name":"Research in Sports Medicine","volume":" ","pages":"564-577"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144045497","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}