BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine最新文献

{"title":"Blow the whistle: a cross-sectional video-analysis study examining bodychecking, suspected injuries and penalisation of illegal contacts in youth ringette.","authors":"Emily E Heming, Ash Kolstad, Stephen W West, Rylen A Williamson, Alexandra J Sobry, Jean-Michel Galarneau, Kelly Russell, Claude Goulet, Carolyn A Emery","doi":"10.1136/bmjsem-2025-002693","DOIUrl":"10.1136/bmjsem-2025-002693","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>To evaluate physical contact (PC), head contact (HC) and suspected injury incidence rates (IR) in youth ringette players across different age groups and levels of play, using video analysis.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This is a cross-sectional video-analysis study of competitive youth ringette games (regular season, provincial and national tournaments) filmed during the 2021-22 season in a major Canadian city. Participants included under 16 years of age (U16; ages 14-15 years) and under 19 years of age (U19; ages 16-18 years) ringette players competing at the A and AA levels (top two most elite levels). A total of 35 games were analysed representing 3256 team-minutes.Primary outcomes included the IRs of bodychecking (illegal trunk PC) and HCs (direct-HC₁; indirect-HC₂). Secondary outcomes included suspected injury and concussion rates and the proportion of illegal contacts (bodychecks and HC₁s) penalised.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The bodychecking IR was 17.34/100 team-minutes (95% CI 14.80 to 20.33) and HC IR was 19.09/100 team-minutes (95% CI 16.74 to 21.78). Few bodychecks (29%) and HC₁s (7%) were penalised. There were no differences in bodychecking or HC rates between age groups or level of play. Higher bodychecking IRs were found in provincial games compared with regular season. The most common mechanism for suspected non-concussion injuries was bodychecking. Suspected concussions most often resulted from HC₂s (primarily following bodychecking).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>High rates of bodychecking and HCs were found across all ages and levels of play, despite rules prohibiting these actions in ringette. Injury prevention efforts should target reducing bodychecking and HC behaviours to improve player safety.</p>","PeriodicalId":47417,"journal":{"name":"BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine","volume":"12 2","pages":"e002693"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2026-04-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13110698/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147785415","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Shall we go for a walk? A cross-sectional study comparing the 6 min walk test and cardiopulmonary exercise test for assessing cardiorespiratory fitness in de novo kidney transplant recipients.","authors":"Marieke Vandecruys, Jasmine De Beir, Marie Renier, Jomme Claes, Amaryllis Ströker, Sien Keersmaekers, Karsten Vanden Wyngaert, Francis Verbeke, Evi Nagler, Wim Van Biesen, Patrick Calders, Kaatje Goetschalckx, Sofie Leunis, Hanne Van Criekinge, Dirk Kuypers, Maarten Naesens, Thierry Troosters, Stefan De Smet, Diethard Monbaliu, Véronique Cornelissen, Amaryllis H Van Craenenbroeck","doi":"10.1136/bmjsem-2025-002993","DOIUrl":"10.1136/bmjsem-2025-002993","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background and objective: </strong>Kidney transplant recipients (KTRs) face elevated cardiovascular risk, partly due to reduced cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF). Cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET), the gold standard for CRF assessment, plays a central role in clinical evaluation and exercise intervention in other populations, but its use in nephrology is limited by practical constraints. The 6 min walk test (6MWT) offers a simpler alternative, but its correlation and agreement with CPET remain unclear in KTRs. This study aimed to evaluate the correlation and agreement between 6MWT and CPET to assess whether the 6MWT could serve as a viable clinical tool for CRF evaluation post-transplant.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This cross-sectional analysis used baseline data of 88 KTRs included in the PHOENIX-Kidney trial (NCT06260579). Participants completed a 3-month post-transplant assessment, including a 6MWT and CPET. Three participants were excluded due to aberrant CPET results requiring further cardiac evaluation, resulting in 85 participants included in the final analysis. Peak oxygen consumption (V̇O₂peak) was measured via CPET and estimated from 6MWT using the Sagat equation. Correlations between 6MWT distance, estimated V̇O₂peak by 6MWT and V̇O₂peak measured by CPET were assessed. Agreement was evaluated using Bland-Altman analysis and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A moderate correlation was observed between 6MWT distance and V̇O₂peak measured by CPET (ρ = 0.603, p<0.001), while a strong correlation was found between estimated V̇O₂peak based on the 6MWT and V̇O₂peak measured by CPET (ρ=0.712, p value of <0.001). However, Bland-Altman analysis revealed significant bias and wide limits of agreement, indicating poor agreement between two methods. Consistently, agreement assessed by the ICC was poor (ICC=0.26, 95% CI -0.10 to 0.58).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Although the 6MWT demonstrates moderate correlations with CPET at the group level, its limited precision for individual prediction highlights the importance of using CPET for accurate assessment of CRF in KTRs.</p>","PeriodicalId":47417,"journal":{"name":"BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine","volume":"12 2","pages":"e002993"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2026-04-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13110695/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147785374","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Epidemiology, aetiology, care and prevention strategies for pelvic floor disorders in young nulliparous female athletes in athletics: a scoping review.","authors":"Estelle Gignoux, Julie Mougeot, Aïda Cadellans-Arróniz, Pascal Edouard","doi":"10.1136/bmjsem-2026-003237","DOIUrl":"10.1136/bmjsem-2026-003237","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>Young nulliparous female athletes do not present all of the usual pelvic floor disorders (PFDs) risk factors (eg, ageing, menopause, childbirth), and thus constitute a population for whom management strategies could differ from the general population. We aimed to map the available evidence and gap about epidemiology, aetiology, care and preventive strategies of PFDs in young nulliparous female athletes in athletics.</p><p><strong>Design: </strong>Scoping review.</p><p><strong>Data sources: </strong>PubMed, Pedro, Embase and Web of Science were searched from inception to 12 January 2026.</p><p><strong>Eligibility criteria for selecting studies: </strong>All types of peer-reviewed articles on PFDs in young nulliparous female athletes in athletics.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>29 articles were included: 14 reviews and 15 original studies. According to the Translating Research into Injury Prevention Practice framework, 24 (83%) articles were classified in stage 1, 23 (79%) in stage 2, 11 (38%) in stage 3, 1 (3%) in stage 5 and none in stages 4 and 6. Prevalence of urinary incontinence ranged from 18.2% to 58.3%. The mechanisms and risk factors of PFDs were complex and inter-related, including a variety of intrinsic factors (eg, eating disorders, low energy availability, behaviour and knowledge), extrinsic factors related to sports practice and environmental factors (eg, relationships with staff, access to education). A significant gap was identified: there are currently no articles nor trials evaluating the efficacy of care or prevention of PFDs.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>PFDs affect a large number of young nulliparous female athletes, with population-specific risk factors and mechanisms, which suggest population-specific care and prevention strategies.</p>","PeriodicalId":47417,"journal":{"name":"BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine","volume":"12 2","pages":"e003237"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2026-04-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13084950/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147724415","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"National health registries in professional German football: development and first results from the men's and women's 1st and 2nd Bundesliga.","authors":"Lorenz Huber, Dominik Szymski, Werner Krutsch, Johannes Weber, Gunnar Huppertz, Florian Zeman, Michael Koller, Micha Pietzonka, Christian Klein, Andreas Nagel, Volker Alt","doi":"10.1136/bmjsem-2025-003003","DOIUrl":"10.1136/bmjsem-2025-003003","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>Long-term, nationwide data on injuries and illnesses in professional football, particularly in women, remain limited. This study aimed to describe injury and illness epidemiology in German professional male and female football using prospective registry data, with a focus on incidence, distribution, and return-to-play times and on sex-specific differences.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Two prospective registries were introduced in the first and second divisions of German professional football (men: 2022/2023, women: 2023/2024). Team medical staff reported all time-loss injuries and illnesses using a standardised, pseudonymised protocol on an online platform. Data included diagnosis, injury mechanism and return-to-play data. Injury and illness match incidence was calculated per 1000 hours of match exposure.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 1514 players (963 men, 551 women) from 54 teams participated. During the first season, 1185 time-loss events were recorded (men: 503 injuries, 176 illnesses; women: 362 injuries, 144 illnesses). In men, the most affected areas were the thigh, ankle and knee, whereas in women, injuries predominantly affected the knee, followed by the ankle and thigh. Ankle sprains were the most frequent injury type in both sexes. ACL ruptures were associated with the longest return-to-play times, particularly in female players. Illnesses caused 3188 absence days in total, mainly due to respiratory infections.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The registries reveal clear sex-specific differences in injury distribution and time-loss in German professional football and demonstrate a substantial burden of illness-related absence. These nationwide data provide a foundation for longitudinal monitoring and future research on sex-specific prevention and return-to-play strategies.</p>","PeriodicalId":47417,"journal":{"name":"BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine","volume":"12 2","pages":"e003003"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2026-04-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13084848/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147724421","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Injury prevalence and characteristics among tennis coaches in the Netherlands: a cross-sectional survey.","authors":"Rieneke Terink, Mireille Baart, Nynke De Jong, Monika Wies, Babette M Pluim, Johannes Zwerver","doi":"10.1136/bmjsem-2025-003189","DOIUrl":"10.1136/bmjsem-2025-003189","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>To describe the prevalence and characteristics of injuries among tennis coaches in the Netherlands and examine associations with individual and occupational factors.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>In this cross-sectional survey, all 1902 licensed tennis coaches in the Netherlands were invited to complete an online questionnaire. Data were collected on injuries during a 2-year recall period, as well as mental health problems, pain-medication use, healthcare utilisation and work-related characteristics.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>900 coaches (74.8% men) completed the survey and 37% reported at least one injury in the previous 2 years. Injuries most frequently affected the lower back (19.5%), shoulder (12.0%), knee (11.6%), neck (7.4%) and elbow (6.2%), with overuse injuries accounting for the largest proportion. Injury prevalence did not differ significantly between male and female coaches. Coaches reporting injuries were taller and had a higher body mass index than uninjured coaches, although differences were small. Approximately one-third of coaches reported that injuries interfered with their ability to teach or play tennis. Pain medication use during tennis instruction was reported by 23% of coaches. Among coaches with health problems, 35% consulted a physiotherapist, 35% a general practitioner and 9% attended an emergency department.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Musculoskeletal injuries are common among tennis coaches and most frequently affect the lower back and lower extremities. Many coaches continue teaching despite ongoing injuries and functional complaints, often accompanied by substantial healthcare utilisation and pain medication use. These findings provide insight into the musculoskeletal health burden associated with tennis coaching and highlight the need to include coaches in tennis injury prevention initiatives.</p>","PeriodicalId":47417,"journal":{"name":"BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine","volume":"12 2","pages":"e003189"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2026-04-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13084860/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147724371","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Incidence and risk factors of spondylolysis in youth football: a longitudinal study among male Norwegian players.","authors":"Nicolay Morland, David Tovi, Benjamin Clarsen, Cecilie B Rygh, Lena Kristin Bache-Mathiesen, Hege Havstad Clemm, Hilde Gundersen","doi":"10.1136/bmjsem-2026-003222","DOIUrl":"10.1136/bmjsem-2026-003222","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>Spondylolysis is a common source of low back pain (LBP) among adolescent athletes. We aimed to investigate the occurrence of LBP and spondylolysis, and the potential associations of weekly training and match exposure, and maturity status with spondylolysis among male youth football players.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Male players (n=98) from six teams were followed over three consecutive seasons (U15-U17). Training and match exposure (min), and pain/injuries were self-reported weekly. Clinical examinations were conducted if a player reported LBP and abstained from football training/matches for 1 week or reported LBP for 4 consecutive weeks despite participating. MRI was used to determine if the LBP was due to spondylolysis. The maturity level was estimated biannually by X-ray of the left hand, along with body height and weight. Risk factor analyses estimated the association between an increase in total weekly training and match exposure and the risk of spondylolysis, and between maturity factors and the risk of spondylolysis.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Of 98 players, 46 reported back pain at least once, 18 fulfilled the criteria for a clinical examination and 13 underwent an MRI scan, identifying 12 cases of spondylolysis. Risk factor analyses showed a significant association between increased total weekly training and match exposure and the risk of spondylolysis. No association was shown between any maturity measure and the occurrence of spondylolysis.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Increased training and match exposure in the weeks before injury was significantly related to a diagnosis of spondylolysis. Maturity measures were not related to increased risk.</p>","PeriodicalId":47417,"journal":{"name":"BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine","volume":"12 2","pages":"e003222"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2026-04-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13084936/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147724407","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Finger, hand and wrist injuries in climbers: insights from climber and provider surveys.","authors":"Stella den Hengst, Emily Powis, Carrie Cooper, Shawn Diamond, Krystle R Tuaño","doi":"10.1136/bmjsem-2026-003239","DOIUrl":"10.1136/bmjsem-2026-003239","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>Rock climbing's growing popularity has been accompanied by increasing reports of hand, finger and wrist injuries among recreational climbers. This study aimed to describe the prevalence of these injuries, identify factors associated with these injuries and assess hand providers' perspectives on climbing-related injuries.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Two retrospective cross-sectional surveys were administered. The first targeted adult recreational climbers via social media and email lists (July-December 2024), and assessed demographics, climbing experience, injury history, training practices and healthcare use. The second, distributed through the American Association for Hand Surgery (September-December 2024), evaluated climbing-related injuries in hand providers' practices and their perceptions of resources. Responses were collected anonymously via Research Electronic Data Capture, and multivariable logistic regression identified injury-associated factors.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Among 745 recreational climbers, 77% reported ≥1 injury, most commonly to the fingers and/or hands (70%), with joint pain/swelling (47%), pulley injuries (47%) and flexor tendon injuries (14%) most frequent. Injury odds were higher among males, climbers with 4-10 or >11 years of experience, and those reporting fingerboard use. 44% used online resources for treatment guidance, and 47% consulted a physician. Among 85 providers, 63% treated 1-5 climbers annually. Although 79% incorporated sport-specific knowledge, only 39% felt they had adequate sport-specific knowledge and 25% thought adequate resources were available for patients.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Recreational climbers report a high prevalence of finger, hand and wrist injuries, with many relying on self-management. Providers report limited climbing-specific knowledge and resource availability, highlighting the need for targeted education and accessible, evidence-based guidance to support prevention and management of climbing-related injuries.</p>","PeriodicalId":47417,"journal":{"name":"BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine","volume":"12 2","pages":"e003239"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2026-04-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13052765/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147634651","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Perceptions of concussion management and testing among healthcare professionals in rugby union: a qualitative analysis.","authors":"Jac Lloyd Palmer, Ryan Baker, Amber Regardsoe, Gareth Irwin, Genevieve Williams","doi":"10.1136/bmjsem-2025-003141","DOIUrl":"10.1136/bmjsem-2025-003141","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Despite ongoing developments in head injury protocols, rugby union still faces challenges in achieving accurate, rapid and context-appropriate concussion assessment on-field and at pitch-side, with clinicians often required to make complex decisions using tools that remain imperfect. The purpose of this research is to gain insight into the perceptions and experiences of high-level rugby union healthcare professionals (HCPs) on current head injury assessment protocols. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight HCPs working in rugby union. Following a six-stage, inductive, reflexive thematic analysis, five key themes emerged. Findings reveal that while standardised protocols offer structure to an assessment, clinical judgement remains central to effective diagnosis. Participants expressed cautious optimism towards emerging technologies, including biomarker testing and motor control assessments. This study offers practitioner-informed insights into the nuanced realities of concussion assessment. Furthermore, this work underscores the need for future tools to be evidence-based and adaptable to the real-world context of elite sport.</p>","PeriodicalId":47417,"journal":{"name":"BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine","volume":"12 2","pages":"e003141"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2026-04-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13052733/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147634601","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Resting energy expenditure in professional dancers as an objective measure of low energy expenditure.","authors":"Matthew Wyon, Nick Allen, Derrick Brown-Appenzeller, Ross Cloak, Tracey Devonport, Kim Gregory, Joanne Penner, Zaki Hassan-Smith, Rachel Webster, Roger Wolman","doi":"10.1136/bmjsem-2026-003216","DOIUrl":"10.1136/bmjsem-2026-003216","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>To investigate the prevalence of low resting energy expenditure (REE) in ballet dancers and to examine its association with low energy availability (LEA) questionnaires and physiological parameters, including menstrual function and body composition.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Participants were screened two times during a dance season. Measurements included direct REE (REE_m) via gas analysis, body composition, bone health, menstrual status and LEA questionnaires. REE_m was compared against eight predictive equations (REE_p). Metabolic suppression was defined as an REE_m/REE_p ratio <0.90.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>47 professional classical ballet dancers (female: n=27, age 24±5.21 years, body mass index (BMI) 18.8±1.67; male: n=20, age 25±4.27 years, BMI 23.1±1.59) volunteered. A high prevalence of suppressed REE was identified, affecting 37.5% of females and 46% of males. No single predictive equation was superior; using multiple equations improved the identification of at-risk dancers. In females, low REE was strongly associated with menstrual irregularity and a significantly later menarche. In males, low REE was linked to lower body fat%. Crucially, low REE was not reliably predicted by low body mass or BMI. Instead, the ratio of kcal/FFM kg/day was a more sensitive discriminator between low and normal REE groups in both sexes. Dancers with low REE also demonstrated less favourable bone health profiles.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Metabolic suppression indicative of LEA is widespread in elite dancers and is not discernible by body mass alone. Clinical screening should incorporate direct metabolic measurement, assessment of menstrual status and evaluation of body composition to effectively identify dancers at risk of the long-term health consequences of relative energy deficiency in dance.</p>","PeriodicalId":47417,"journal":{"name":"BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine","volume":"12 2","pages":"e003216"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2026-04-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13052749/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147634736","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Pressure-controlled ultrasound is a novel non-invasive technique for detecting anterior chronic exertional compartment syndrome.","authors":"Kay van Heeswijk, Bert van Essen, Arjan Kokshoorn, Geert Willem Schurink, Marc Scheltinga","doi":"10.1136/bmjsem-2025-003094","DOIUrl":"10.1136/bmjsem-2025-003094","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>Chronic exertional compartment syndrome (CECS) is traditionally confirmed by intracompartmental pressure (ICP) measurement, but this test has been criticised. The aim of this study was to investigate whether leg muscle compartment compressibility using pressure-controlled ultrasound has diagnostic potential in anterior leg compartment CECS (ant-CECS). We hypothesised that, following exercise, patients with ant-CECS would demonstrate lower compartment compressibility and greater compartment thickness compared with controls.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Patients with bilateral ant-CECS failing conservative treatment underwent ICP measurements of one leg and compartment compressibility analysis of the contralateral leg before and after a standardised treadmill test. Compartment compressibility was calculated as the relative reduction in distance between a superficial and deep muscle landmark at 10 mm Hg and 80 mm Hg external ultrasound probe pressure. The primary outcome was the difference in compressibility between patients with ant-CECS and healthy controls.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Between February 2023 and April 2025, 635 ultrasound measurements were analysed in 36 patients (23 males, age 28 (SD 10 years)) and 35 controls (14 males, age 38 (SD 15 years)). Patients had at least one of three Pedowitz criteria confirming ant-CECS (ICP ≥15 mm Hg at rest, or ≥30 mm Hg or ≥20 mm Hg 1 and 5 min after treadmill, respectively). Compressibility in ant-CECS was lower at rest and at each time point after treadmill testing compared with controls (p<0.01). In males, a 7.8% compressibility cut-off value measured 5 min post-exercise yielded a positive predictive value of 94%.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Pressure-controlled ultrasound is a novel non-invasive technique for detecting leg anterior chronic exertional compartment syndrome with promising diagnostic accuracy, particularly in males.</p><p><strong>Trial registration number: </strong>NCT05720182.</p>","PeriodicalId":47417,"journal":{"name":"BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine","volume":"12 1","pages":"e003094"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2026-03-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13007154/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147515789","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}