Orthopedic Injuries among Elite Adult Ice Hockey Players in Korea:A Self-Reported Questionnaire-Based Study / 대한스포츠의학회지

Purpose@#Epidemiological data on injuries resulting from ice hockey and their management are lacking in Korea. A comprehensive analysis of such data is crucial for the effective prevention and management of ice hockey injuries. This study aimed to determine the epidemiological profile of ice hockey injuries and their management among elite Korean players. @*Methods@#The descriptive epidemiological study involved three semiprofessional male ice hockey teams and used a retrospective self-reported questionnaire for assessment. The data collected included demographic characteristics such as player positions and stick-side preferences, injured body parts, injury types, treatment methods, and the decision-maker for returning to sports. @*Results@#A total of 68 players were included in the study, of whom 58 (85.3%) experienced moderate-to-severe orthopedic injuries. Among the reported injuries, 93 (77.5%) occurred during the games, with player-to-player contact being the most frequent cause of such injuries. The decision to return to sports in 53 cases (44.2%) was made by the medical staff, whereas players and nonmedical staff made that decision in 67 cases (55.8%). The decision-making process of the medical staff for allowing players to return to sports was significantly associated with the player’s position and whether the injury required surgery. @*Conclusion@#The study emphasizes the high prevalence of orthopedic injuries among elite ice hockey players in Korea and the importance of injury prevention strategies. It also highlights the need for increased involvement of medical staff in return-to-play decisions to ensure successful recovery of players and their reintegration into the competition.

Importance of Initial Peak Torque of the Supraspinatus Muscle during Shoulder Flexion

Background@#Most previous studies have evaluated flexion strength to assess recovery after arthroscopic rotator cuff (RC) repair.However, limited data are available regarding peak torque at the initial angle (iPT) because most studies have measured flexion strength for peak torque (PT), particularly in small- and medium-sized supraspinatus tears. The purpose of this study was to compare conventional PT and iPT to evaluate supraspinatus muscle strength after arthroscopic RC repair in patients with small- and medium-sized supraspinatus tears. @*Methods@#Isokinetic muscle performance testing was performed in 42 patients with small tears and in 47 patients with medium-sized tears. PT and iPT were evaluated before and 1 year after surgery and were recorded at an angular velocity of 60°/sec and 180°/sec with an isokinetic test. @*Results@#PT and iPT were significantly lower in the involved-side shoulders than in the uninvolved-side shoulders (PT: small tear, p 0.05), but iPTs were significantly lower in the involved-side shoulders (small tear, p 0.05). @*Conclusions@#iPT is as important as conventional PT in isokinetic testing to assess supraspinatus muscle strength before and after RC repair.

Effectiveness of Ultrasound in Evaluation of Fatty Infiltration in Rotator Cuff Muscles

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to verify the diagnostic performance of Ultrasonography (US) in the evaluation of fatty infiltration (FI) in rotator cuff muscles and to analyze the diagnostic values of each measurement component.METHODS: The degree of FI in 108 shoulders was assessed by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and US. MRI findings were graded by the Goutallier classification. US findings were graded by the Strobel method. Agreement between MRI and US findings was evaluated. The sensitivity and specificity for detecting FI and intraobserver reliabilities were also assessed.RESULTS: US grading of the infraspinatus based on short-axis architecture showed good agreement (κ = 0.62). US grading-based on architecture showed good agreement for both supraspinatus and infraspinatus in long- and short-axis scans (supraspinatus, κ = 0.63; infraspinatus, κ = 0.68), while that based on echogenicity showed moderate agreement (supraspinatus, κ = 0.51; infraspinatus, κ = 0.50). The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy of detecting advanced FI were significant in both axes.CONCLUSIONS: US is effective for detecting advanced FI in the rotator cuff muscles. US can assess the infraspinatus more accurately than the supraspinatus, and architecture is a more decisive component of FI status than echogenicity.

Current concept of shoulder replacement arthroplasty

Since the development of the first anatomic shoulder replacement in 1950, the technology has undergone substantial evolution, making it a viable option to manage variable shoulder problems, including severe osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and fracture of the proximal humerus. However, the design of conventional total shoulder arthroplasty prostheses does not account for concomitant musculotendinous pathologies, including larger rotator cuff tears, which are associated with fatty infiltration of the infraspinatus muscle and substantially compromise the outcome of total shoulder arthroplasty. For patients without a rotator cuff or with rotator cuff tear arthropathy, hemiarthroplasty was the conventional treatment. Unfortunately, for these indications, hemiarthroplasty may provide little improvement in range of motion or function. Recently, radical changes in prosthetic design were made that transformed poorly performing reverse ball-and-socket total shoulder prosthesis into a highly successful salvage implant for pseudoparalytic and severe rotator cuff–deficient shoulders. The annual number of reverse total shoulder arthroplasties is increasing dramatically, and the indications also have expanded to include several conditions. In this review, the current concept of variable shoulder arthroplasty is discussed for clinical physicians

The Characteristics of Shoulder Muscles in Archery Athletes

BACKGROUND: This study evaluated the shoulder girdle muscle characteristics of elite archery athletes and provides suggestions for archery training programs. METHODS: This study enrolled 15 cases of high level archery athletes (7 males, 8 females) and 30 cases of (15 males, 15 females) sex, age-matched, healthy, non-athletic individuals. We measured peak torques of flexion (FL), extension (EX), abduction (ABD), adduction (ADD), external rotation (ER) and internal rotation (IR) of both shoulders at an angular velocity of 30°/sec, 60°/sec, and 180°/sec. The peak torques and peak torque ratios of FL/EX, ABD/ADD, and ER/IR of the two groups were compared. RESULTS: The archer group had a greater peak torque of IR and ADD, but only in the left shoulder (p < 0.05). In the same group, both shoulders had greater peak torque of EX and lower peak torque of FL. The peak torque ratios of FL/EX of both shoulders were significantly lower in the archer group at all three angular velocities (p < 0.05). The peak torque ratios of ABD/ADD were significantly greater in only the left shoulder of the archer group (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The prominent characteristics of the shoulder girdle muscles of an elite archer are stronger adductor muscles of the bow shoulder and stronger extensors of both shoulders, as compared to healthy, non-athletic individuals. These muscle groups of the shoulder probably contribute a major role in maintaining the accuracy and stability during archery shooting. Hence, a training program that selectively enhances the adductor and extensor muscles could prove helpful in enhancing the archery skills of the athlete.

Conservative Treatment of Mid-Clavicle Fractures

Clavicle fractures are very common injuries in adults and children and the majority of these fractures occur in the midshaft. Traditionally, mid-clavicle fractures have been treated with conservative methods and the clinical outcomes of this method are believed to be excellent. On the other hand, recent studies have shown that the clinical results of severe comminuted or markedly displaced fractures after conservative management were not as favorable as previously described. Despite these concerns, the conservative treatment of mid-clavicle fractures is still an efficient method, which can be applied to all patients as a primary care. This review focuses on the proper indication, technique, and limitations of conservative treatment of mid-clavicle fractures.

The Usefulness of Minimally Invasive Plate Osteosynthesis to Manage Comminuted Mid-Clavicle Fracture: A Comparison with Conventional Open Plating / 대한정형외과학회잡지

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to compare the clinical and radiological outcomes of minimally invasive plate osteosynthesis (MIPO) with those of conventional open plating (COP) for treating comminuted mid-clavicular fractures and to evaluate the usefulness of MIPO. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-nine patients who underwent surgical treatment for mid-clavicular comminuted fractures were analyzed retrospectively. Nineteen patients were treated with MIPO and twenty patients with COP. Radiological evaluation included time to union, fracture healing, and clavicular length difference measured as the proportional length difference with the unaffected side. Clinical assessment was performed using the simple shoulder test score, American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons score, and quick disability of the arm, shoulder and hand score. Moreover, the mean operation and radiation times, as well as exposure were compared. RESULTS: All clavicles achieved bone union. The mean time to union was 12.1 weeks in the MIPO group, and 14.6 weeks in the COP group (p=0.587). There was no significant difference between the two groups regarding the functional and radiological outcomes at 2-year follow-up. A significantly shorter operation time was observed in the MIPO group than in the COP group (75.8 min vs. 106.9 min, p=0.002). More radiation time and exposure were identified in the MIPO group (52.8 s vs. 37.1 s, p=0.002; 209.4 mGy vs. 43.1 mGy, p=0.005). CONCLUSION: Both COP and MIPO were shown to be effective treatment options for mid-clavicular comminuted fractures. MIPO may be a better alternative to COP due to shorter operation time and no need for a bone graft, although the functional and radiological outcomes were not significantly different. However, all surgeons should pay close attention to minimize radiation hazard.

Surgical or nonsurgical treatment of osteoporotic fractures

The worldwide population of the elderly is steadily increasing, and even more so in Korea, thus causing an increase in the osteoporotic fracture prevalence. Osteoporotic fracture is a serious injury that can decrease quality of life, and can also produce major social problems when it causes mortality. Preventing such fractures from happening in the first place is of utmost importance but once a fracture does occur, it is important to select appropriate treatment modalities to prevent secondary fractures. Recently, with the increase of life expectancy, it has become favorable to perform surgical fixation for significantly displaced osteoporotic fractures and use early rehabilitation programs to return the patient to normal body performance as soon as possible. To do so, it is important to accurately assess the location and the degree of the fractures in order to select appropriate treatment modalities. Furthermore, it is important to prevent secondary fractures from happening once the previous fractures heal.

Usefulness of musculoskeletal ultrasonography for treatment of shoulder pain

Ultrasonography is a powerful and useful method for the examination of the various shoulder diseases. The use of high-resolution transducer and technical evolution allowed the improvement of the accuracy of detection of the rotator cuff disease. In addition to diagnostic tool, ultrasonography can be applied as an optimal guidance in many intervention therapy around shoulder. However, its limitation is that there is marked disparity between the operators' experience levels. This article describes stepwise methods for evaluating shoulder conditions, ultrasonographic findings of various shoulder pathology, and guidance techniques for intervention therapy.

Disparity between Clinical and Ultrasound Examinations in Neonatal Hip Screening

BACKGROUND: For early detection of developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH), neonatal hip screening using clinical examination and/or ultrasound has been recommended. Although there have been many studies on the reliability of both screening techniques, there is still controversy in the screening strategies; clinical vs. selective or universal ultrasound screening. To determine the screening strategy, we assessed the agreement among the methods; clinical examination by an experienced pediatric orthopedic surgeon, sonographic morphology, and sonographic stability. METHODS: From January 2004 to June 2009, a single experienced pediatric orthopedic surgeon performed clinical hip screenings for 2,686 infants in the neonatal unit and 43 infants who were referred due to impressions of hip dysplasia before 3 months of age. Among them, 156 clinically unstable or high-risk babies selectively received bilateral hip ultrasound examinations performed by the same surgeon using the modified Graf method. The results were analyzed statistically to detect any correlations between the clinical and sonographic findings. RESULTS: Although a single experienced orthopedic surgeon conducted all examinations, we detected only a limited relationship between the results of clinical and ultrasound examinations. Ninety-three percent of the clinically subluxatable hips were normal or immature based on static ultrasound examination, and 74% of dislocating hips and 67% of limited abduction hips presented with the morphology below Graf IIa. A total of 80% of clinically subluxatable, 42% of dislocating and 67% of limited abduction hips appeared stable or exhibited minor instability on dynamic ultrasound examination. About 7% of clinically normal hips were abnormal upon ultrasound examination; 5% showed major instability and 3% showed dysplasia above Graf IIc. Clinical stability had small coefficients between ultrasound examinations; 0.39 for sonographic stability and 0.37 for sonographic morphology. Between sonographic stability and morphology, although 71% of hips with major instability showed normal or immature morphology according to static ultrasound examination, the coefficient was as high as 0.64. CONCLUSIONS: Discrepancies between clinical and ultrasound examinations were present even if almost all of the exams were performed by a single experienced pediatric orthopedic surgeon. In relation to screening for DDH, it is recommended that both sonographic morphology and stability be checked in addition to clinical examination.

Disparity between Clinical and Ultrasound Examinations in Neonatal Hip Screening

BACKGROUND: For early detection of developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH), neonatal hip screening using clinical examination and/or ultrasound has been recommended. Although there have been many studies on the reliability of both screening techniques, there is still controversy in the screening strategies; clinical vs. selective or universal ultrasound screening. To determine the screening strategy, we assessed the agreement among the methods; clinical examination by an experienced pediatric orthopedic surgeon, sonographic morphology, and sonographic stability. METHODS: From January 2004 to June 2009, a single experienced pediatric orthopedic surgeon performed clinical hip screenings for 2,686 infants in the neonatal unit and 43 infants who were referred due to impressions of hip dysplasia before 3 months of age. Among them, 156 clinically unstable or high-risk babies selectively received bilateral hip ultrasound examinations performed by the same surgeon using the modified Graf method. The results were analyzed statistically to detect any correlations between the clinical and sonographic findings. RESULTS: Although a single experienced orthopedic surgeon conducted all examinations, we detected only a limited relationship between the results of clinical and ultrasound examinations. Ninety-three percent of the clinically subluxatable hips were normal or immature based on static ultrasound examination, and 74% of dislocating hips and 67% of limited abduction hips presented with the morphology below Graf IIa. A total of 80% of clinically subluxatable, 42% of dislocating and 67% of limited abduction hips appeared stable or exhibited minor instability on dynamic ultrasound examination. About 7% of clinically normal hips were abnormal upon ultrasound examination; 5% showed major instability and 3% showed dysplasia above Graf IIc. Clinical stability had small coefficients between ultrasound examinations; 0.39 for sonographic stability and 0.37 for sonographic morphology. Between sonographic stability and morphology, although 71% of hips with major instability showed normal or immature morphology according to static ultrasound examination, the coefficient was as high as 0.64. CONCLUSIONS: Discrepancies between clinical and ultrasound examinations were present even if almost all of the exams were performed by a single experienced pediatric orthopedic surgeon. In relation to screening for DDH, it is recommended that both sonographic morphology and stability be checked in addition to clinical examination.

Ultrasonographic Findings of Musculoskeletal Tissues / 대한정형외과학회잡지

In order to accurately diagnose lesions of musculoskeletal tissue, evaluation not only of the abnormality of the bone, but the condition of soft tissue is important. Magnetic resonance imaging has been widely used in evaluation of the state of soft tissue, however, it has the disadvantage that testing is expensive and real-time scanning is not possible. In recent years, ultrasonography has been used for evaluation of musculoskeletal tissue and its usefulness has shown a gradual increase. The ultrasound image is determined by the tissue specific acoustic impedance and other factors. Highly reflective tissues such as bone, calcification, ligament, and tendon are expressed as hyperechoic images, and less reflective tissues such as muscle and nerve are expressed as hypoechoic images.

Vitamin D Inadequacy in Patients with Osteoporotic Hip Fractures

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the prevalence of vitamin D inadequacy in an elderly patients with hip fracture. METHODS: A prospective study was carried out for 2 years (January 2008 - December 2009). Patient records were searched for hip fracture admission and cross matched with serum vitamin D levels and bone densitometry carried out within 3 days of the hip fracture admission. RESULTS: There were data for 115 hip fracture patient, 69% of the patients were women (n = 79). The mean age at the time of fracture was 76.1 years. The mean of bone densitometry was -2.8 +/- 0.8. About 40% of the patients had a bone mineral density (BMD) below -3.0. The mean vitamin D (25-OH) level was 20.9 +/- 10 ng/mL. Over 80% of patients had a vitamin D level below 30 ng/mL. Especially, patients (n = 17) admitted from assisted nursing home had less a vitamin D level (16.3 ng/mL) than patients admitted from home (22.9 ng/mL). There were no significant differences by age or sex however, there was seasonal differences in vitamin D. CONCLUSION: This study reveals universal vitamin D inadequacy in hip fracture patients.

Bipolar Hemiarthroplasty for the Femoral Neck Fractures in Elderly Patients

PURPOSE: To evaluate the clinical results of bipolar hemiarthroplasty in elderly patients more than 65 years of age with a femoral neck fracture. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty-six bipolar hemiarthroplasties in 43 patients more than 65 years of age which could be followed more than 3 years were included in this study. The clinical outcomes were evaluated using Harris hip score, pain score and support score. The radiological results were analyzed by femoral stem loosening and bipolar cup migration. RESULTS: The average Harris hip score was 88.7 (62~96) points. An excellent score was recorded in 34 cases, good in 7 cases, fair in 3 cases and poor in 2 cases. The average pain score was 39.3 points and there were no pain in 20 cases, slight pain in 17 cases, mild pain in 6 cases and moderate pain in 2 cases. The average support score was 9.6 points and 32 patients could walk without the use of any assistive devices. Two cases were converted to total hip arthroplasty due to femoral stem loosening with or without bipolar cup migration. CONCLUSION: For the early ambulation and functional recovery of elderly patients with femoral neck fracture, bipolar hemiarthroplasty was considered as one of recommendable methods.

Reconstructive Arthrodesis using a Non-living Fibular Graft with an Attached Periosteal Sleeve for Osteosarcoma of the Distal Tibia: A Case Report / 대한정형외과학회잡지

According to previous reports, ankle arthrodesis is regarded as the best reconstructive procedure after limb salvage surgery for osteosarcoma of the distal tibia. Of the many arthrodesis options, vascularized fibular graft (VFG) is widely accepted as the most successful method. However, reconstruction using VFG is not always possible, because VFG is a complicated surgical procedure and is associated with high rates of morbidity at donor sites. The authors devised a novel reconstructive surgical procedure that exploits the osteogenic potential of the periosteum. A 10-year-old female patient with osteosarcoma of the distal tibia underwent limb salvage surgery and the ipsilateral distal fibula and periosteal sleeve were transported to the defect for ankle arthrodesis. The transported fibula and periosteal new bone formation acted as a dual strut bone graft providing better stronger stability than fibula alone transfer. The authors believe the proposed procedure is an easier alternative to the surgically demanding VFG method.

Upper Extremity Fractures in Children: Prospective Epidemiological Study of Tertiary Medical Institutes / 대한정형외과학회잡지

PURPOSE: To investigate the general epidemiologic features of upper extremity fractures in children. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The records of the 589 in-patient children treated for upper extremity fractures over a 1-year period at 7 different hospitals were collected prospectively and analyzed. The severity of trauma was classified as slight, moderate or severe. This study examined the incidence of various upper extremity fractures and performed statistical analysis according to the epidemiologic parameters including age, gender and season. RESULTS: The average age of the children was 7.8 years. The average age of boys (8.5 years) was older than girls (6.4 years). The majority of fractures occurred at between 4 and 7 years of age (36%). The male to female ratio was approximately 2:1. The male predominance increased with age and increased dramatically in the age group, 12-16 years (5.8:1). The left side was injured more frequently (56%), and there was no difference between genders. The occurrence of fractures varied with the seasons with peaks in May (14.1%) and August (12.2%), and it was closely related to the temperature (r=0.778). The most common fractures were the supracondylar fractures of the humerus (32.6%), followed by distal radius fractures (18.2%), lateral condylar fractures (15.8%), radio-ulna shaft fractures (8%), clavicle fractures (4.2%), proximal humerus fractures (2.6%) and humerus shaft fractures (2.4%). Ninety seven percent of fractures were caused by a slight and moderate trauma. Fifty four percent of injured children underwent surgery, and 84% of operations were performed on the fractures around the elbow. CONCLUSION: This study examined the epidemiologic features of the upper extremity fractures in children.

Bipolar Hemiarthroplasty Using Non-cemented Multilock Femoral Stem: A 7-year Minimum Follow-up Study

Purpose: To evaluate the clinical and radiographic results of primary bipolar arthroplasty during average 9.8-year period, using a non-cemented Multilock femoral stem and a biarticular acetabular cup. Materials and Methods: This study included 24 patients (29 hips) who underwent primary bipolar hemiarthroplasties with Multilock femoral stems and biarticular cups and who could be followed for more than seven years. Clinically, we evaluated the Harris Hip scores and patient complaints of thigh and inguinal pain. We also evaluated the radiographic measurements around the femoral stems and the bipolar cups. Results: The average Harris Hip score improved from 57.4 points to 91.6 points; and 3 (10.3%) hips were associated with thigh pain and 4 (13.8%) hips with inguinal pain. Around the femoral stem there was a non-progressive radiolucent line less than 1 mm in length in 4 (13.8%) hips and osteolysis was present in 6 (20.6%) hips. With respect to the stability of the fixations, there was osseous ingrowth in 26 (89.7%) hips and fibrous ingrowth in 3 (10.3%) hips. Around the acetabulum there was osteolysis in 5 (17.2%) hips, proximal migration of the cup in 2 (6.9%) hips, and erosion of the acetabular cartilage in 10 (34.5%) hips. There were 3 (10.3%) biarticular cups, which were converted to total hip arthroplasties, but no femoral stems were revised. The overall failure rate of the primary operations was 10.3%. Conclusion: The current study demonstrated favorable results after bipolar hemiarthroplasties with Multilock femoral stems. However, the osteolysis that occurred around the femoral stems and the acetabula emerged as a problem after the total hip arthroplasties. In particular, it is expected that the osteolysis would increase over time and become the main cause for the need for surgical revision.

Treatment of Displaced Supracondylar Fracture of the Humerus in Children

PURPOSE: To evaluate the radiological and clinical outcomes after operative treatment of displaced supracondylar fractures in children with lateral K-wire fixation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 69 displaced supracondylar fractures treated by closed reduction and percutaneous lateral K-wire fixation were included in this study. Carrying angle and range of motion were measured and graded by the Flynn criteria. To assess the accuracy of the reduction, Baumann angle and lateral humerocapital angles were compared to the contralateral side, and to evaluate the stability of fixation both measurements were taken immediately postoperatively and after K-wire removal. RESULTS: 55 cases (80%) were categorized as excellent and 12 cases (17%) as good. There were no significant statistical differences in Baumann angle and lateral humerocapital angle between postoperative and K-wire removal. Although there were 9 cases that showed differences in Baumann angle and 32 cases in lateral humerocapital angle of more than 10 degrees compared to the opposite side at the immediate postoperative radiograph, 9 cases showed satisfactory clinical results. CONCLUSION: Closed reduction and lateral K-wire fixation is considered as an acceptable modality of the treatment of displaced supracondylar fractures in children, and clinical outcome is more closely correlated with carrying angle and stability of fracture site rather than rotational deformity or hyperextension of fragment measured radiographically.