William E. Buckley

Women's injuries in collegiate sports A preliminary comparative overview of three seasons

The purpose of this article was to provide a preliminary over view of the injury experiences among collegiate women athletes which were reported to the National Athletic Injury/Illness Reporting System (NAIRS) during its first 3 operational years (1975 to 1978). More dissimilarities in injury patterns were observed between womens sports than between comparable men and womens sports. The results thereby are interpreted that injuries to women athletes are essentially sport-related, not sex-related. Further investigative reports on women athletic injuries should be delimited to respective sports and over a period of time. Attention should be given to the patterns of injury within a sport, including shifts in patterns, so that practicable preventive measures can be perceived, imple mented, and subsequently evaluated.

Self-Reported Use of Anabolic-Androgenic Steroids by Elite Power Lifters.

In brief: Sixty-one athletes competed in the 1987 National Championship of the US Powerlifting Federation; all were surveyed to obtain information on anabolic-androgenic steroids regarding attitudes, patterns of use, and health effects. Of the 45 who responded to the survey, 15 admitted having used steroids. In a follow-up telephone interview of 20 of the competitors, 11 reported previous steroid use. The reason given most often for using steroids was improved athletic performance; the most common side effects reported were heightened libido, acne, and increased body hair. The small number of admitted users suggests that underreporting took place; this level of use probably represents the lower bound of steroid use among power lifters.

The injury experience of the competitive athlete with a disability: prevention implications

The purpose of this project was to describe the injury experiences of athletes with disabilities. A cross-disability instrument was developed to measure variables of interest. A retrospective survey was administered to 426 athletes who participated at the 1989 national competition of the National Wheelchair Athletic Association (NWAA), United States Association for Blind Athletes (USABA), and the United States Cerebral Palsy Athletic Association (USCPAA). The definition of injury was any trauma to the participant that occurred during any practice, training, or competition session that caused the athlete to stop, limit, or modify participation for 1 d or more. Thirty-two percent (N = 137) of the total respondents reported at least one time-loss injury. By organization, 26% of the total injuries were from the NWAA and 37% were from the USABA and USCPAA, respectively. The shoulder and arm/elbow accounted for 57% of the total NWAA injuries. Fifty-three percent of the injuries to the USABA athlete were to the lower extremity. Injuries to the USCPAA athlete were distributed among four body locations, knee (21%), shoulder (16%), forearm/wrist (16%), and leg/ankle (15%). The athlete with a disability demonstrated approximately the same percentage of injury as the athlete without a disability in similar sport activities. Biomechanical considerations of locomotion and specific sport skills should be analyzed by experts to reduce the percentage of injuries.

Anabolic Steroid Use: Indications of Habituation among Adolescents.

The use of anabolic steroids (AS) by adolescent males is argued to be more widespread than currently acknowledged. Although the long-term physiological and psychological ramifications of use are not well established, current research and anecdotal information suggest that there is reason for concern. In addition, very little is known about the attitudes and behaviors of these adolescent AS users. While the debate concerning the physiological versus the psychological dependence liability of various drugs continues to evolve, there seems to be a consensus that drug dependence is not a per se phenomenon and that the characteristics of dependence differ in accordance with the drug being used. The following article attempts to identify characteristics of the adolescent male AS user and suggests that AS use does have a dependence potential. The AS user population was found to be significantly different from nonusers in several areas such as self-perceptions of health and strength, interest in controlling AS use, and perceptions of peer AS use. The AS user group was also found to contain several subgroups (heavy users [≥ 5 cycles] versus other users, and those who initiated use prior to age sixteen who reported significantly different attitudes and/or behaviors. These differences suggest that prevention efforts will have to focus on different motivations for AS use.

Concussions in college football A multivariate analysis

The purpose of this investigation was to examine risk patterns of concussion in college football. Multivariate models were used to interpret the data. Specifically, log-linear modeling and analysis techniques were incor porated into the investigation. An average of 49 college teams were studied over the 8 year period 1975 to 1982. This represented over 36,000 athlete-seasons and 395 team-seasons. The data selected were limited to 1,005 game-related concussions. The general hy potheses tested were the null hypothesis that the vari ables of team (offense and defense), player position, situation (rushing and passing), and activity (block and tackle) had no effect on the occurrence of these game- related concussions. It was found that concussions were a persistent and regular but relatively infrequent type of injury in college football. Concussions accounted for 75% of the total number of injuries on or about the head. The injuries were examined relative to player position, situation, and activity using a log-linear modeling technique, with in teractions among the variables also established. The contribution of each variable was not always equal or completely interactive. Generally, the highest risk of concussion was associated with offensive and defensive players involved in a block on a rushing play. Specifically, running backs demonstrated the highest risk of concussion, regardless of activity. The lowest risk was for offensive linemen and quarterbacks while blocking on any type of play. On defense, the secondary exhibited the highest risk of concussion while being blocked on a running play. Similarly, linemen experienced their greatest risk while being blocked on plays run inside the tackle. The small est risk of concussion was demonstrated by lineback ers on passing plays. This investigation demonstrated the viability of mul tivariate analysis of sport injury data and confirmed the utility of the log-linear analysis of nominal data.

Static innominate asymmetry and leg length discrepancy in asymptomatic collegiate athletes

The objectives of the study were to assess: (1) static innominate asymmetry in the sagittal plane, (2) leg length discrepancy (LLD), and (3) the relationship between static innominate rotation and LLD in asymptomatic collegiate athletes. The study was an observational study by design which took place in a University athletic training research laboratory. The participants were twenty-four male and 20 female asymptomatic intercollegiate athletes who volunteered to take part in the study. Static innominate asymmetry was assessed with a caliper/inclinometer tool and LLD was measured with a tape measure using standard clinical methods. Results showed that forty-two subjects (95%) demonstrated some degree of static innominate asymmetry. In 32 subjects (73%), the right innominate was more anteriorly rotated than the left. Nearly all subjects were determined to have unequal leg lengths with a majority, 30 subjects (68%), showing a slightly longer left leg. Weak correlations (r=0.33 - 0.44) were identified between static innominate asymmetry and LLD. In Conclusion static innominate asymmetry and LLD are common among asymptomatic collegiate athletes. This information provides clinicians with normative data of common clinical measures in a physically active population.

Systematic Review of Efficacy for Manual Lymphatic Drainage Techniques in Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation: An Evidence-Based Practice Approach

Abstract Manual therapists question integrating manual lymphatic drainage techniques (MLDTs) into conventional treatments for athletic injuries due to the scarcity of literature concerning musculoskeletal applications and established orthopaedic clinical practice guidelines. e purpose of this systematic review is to provide manual therapy clinicians with pertinent information regarding progression of MLDTs as well as to critique the evidence for e cacy of this method in sports medicine. We surveyed English-language publications from 1998 to 2008 by searching PubMed, PEDro, CINAHL, the Cochrane Library, and SPORTDiscus databases using the terms lymphatic system, lymph drainage, lymphatic therapy, manual lymph drainage, and lymphatic pump techniques. We selected articles investigating the effects of MLDTs on orthopaedic and athletic injury outcomes. Nine arti- cles met inclusion criteria, of which 3 were randomized controlled trials (RCTs). We evaluated the 3 RCTs using a validity score (PEDro scale). Due to di erences in experimental design, data could not be collapsed for meta-analysis. Animal model experiments reinforce theoretical principles for application of MLDTs. When combined with concomitant musculoskeletal therapy, pilot and case studies demonstrate MLDT e ectiveness. e best evidence suggests that the efficacy of MLDT in sports medicine and rehabilitation is specific to resolution of enzyme serum levels associated with acute skeletal muscle cell damage as well as reduction of edema following acute ankle joint sprain and radial wrist fracture. Currently, there is limited high-ranking evidence available. Well-designed RCTs assessing outcome variables following implementation of MLDTs in treating athletic injuries may provide conclusive evidence for establishing applicable clinical practice guidelines in sports medicine and rehabilitation.

The injury experience and training history of the competitive skier with a disability

The purpose of this investigation was to describe the training history and injury experience of the competitive skier with a disability. A retrospective survey was ad ministered to 68 athletes who participated in the Na tional Handicapped Sports and the United States As sociation for Blind Athletes Winter National Games held in March 1989. The frequency, length, and specific components of the practice session were obtained. The definition of injury was any trauma to the participant that occurred during any practice, training, or competi tive session that resulted in the cessation, limitation, or modification of the athletes participation for at least 24 hours. The athletes practiced aerobic, anaerobic, and strength training activities two times a week or less. Upper extremities were injured 1.4 times more often than the lower extremities. The number of chronic injuries was greater than the number of acute injuries for both the upper and lower extremity. The thigh and knee were involved in 30% of the acute injuries, fol lowed by the shoulder (25%), and neck and spine (15%). For chronic injuries, the shoulder, thigh/knee complex, and arm and elbow accounted for 73.3% of the total injuries reported. The skier with a disability incurred approximately the same proportion of injuries as the skier without a disability. Conditioning programs should be developed to emphasize both the aerobic and anaerobic energy systems to reduce the number of injuries.

Desire for Weight Gain and Potential Risks of Adolescent Males Using Anabolic Steroids

This study examined the perceptions of adolescent males regarding their physical strength, health status, and desire to gain weight and their perceptions of anabolic steroid use. Subjects were 12th-grade boys (N = 3403), drawn from a pool of 150 high schools nationwide, who completed a health questionnaire. Analysis indicated 47.0% (n = 1475) who wanted to gain weight, perceived themselves as of less than average strength and having good health, and were sports participants. Also, among those who desired weight gain, about 24% (n = 345) were not sure about the most dangerous health risks associated with anabolic steroid use, and 16% (n = 221) did not want to see the use of anabolic steroids in sports stopped. The findings indicate that adolescent boys, who desired weight gain and currently abstained from anabolic steroid use, might be at risk for becoming users.

An Evidence-Based Practice Approach to the Efficacy of Kinesio Taping for Improving Pain and Quadriceps Performance in Physically-Active Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome Patient

Background: Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome (PFPS) is the most commonly diagnosed musculoskeletal condition in physically active patients. Sports medicine clinicians typically use physical rehabilitation and therapeutic taping techniques to control pain and improve muscular performance in patients with PFPS. Recently, Kinesio Tape (KT) has gained popularity among sports medicine clinicians and athletes for the treatment of various musculoskeletal disorders; however, its efficacy in the treatment of most orthopedic conditions, including PFPS, has not been widely investigated. Objective: The purpose of this review was to critique evidence for the efficacy of KT in improving clinical outcomes in PFPS patients. Methods: English-language publications from 2003 to 2013 were surveyed by searching PubMed, CINAHL, SPORTDiscus, and the Cochrane Library databases using the terms Kinesio tape, Kinesio taping, and knee. Studies focused on generally healthy, physically-active individuals with PFPS who had KT applied at the knee were selected. Pain during activity and/or knee extensor performance was the measures of interest. Results: Conflicting results found in studies of varying methodological quality show that KT application does not differ significantly from McConnell medial glide taping technique with regard to pain reduction or knee extensor performance, and that pain may decrease and knee extensor performance may increase with KT application. Conclusions: The best evidence suggests that KT may be used in place of or in conjunction with traditional therapies to resolve pain and improve performance of the knee extensors. Currently, there is limited high level, high quality evidence available.