Hallux Sesamoid Injury Characteristics in Young Athletes Presented to the Sports Medicine Clinic.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate clinical diagnoses, sports participation, and return to sport timeline associated with hallux sesamoid injuries with sex comparisons. DESIGN: Descriptive epidemiology study. SETTING: Sports medicine clinics at a tertiary-level pediatric medical center. PATIENTS: Six hundred eighty-three young athletes (546 women and 137 men). INDEPENDENT VARIABLES: Sex (women vs men). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Clinical diagnoses, participating sports, and injury timeline. RESULTS: The most common diagnosis was sesamoiditis (62.6%). The top 3 primary sports were dance (34.6%), running (13.7%), and soccer (11.7%). When stratified by sex, dance (40.1%), running (13.6%), and soccer (10.7%) were the top primary sports for women while running (19.4%), soccer (18.5%), and basketball (11.3%) were the leading diagnoses for male athletes. The mean time between injury occurrence and first clinic visit was 135.5 ± 229.3 days. The mean time between the first clinic visit and return to sport was 104.3 ± 128.2 days. Comparison by sex showed that women had a longer mean time than men (women: 111.5 ± 132.5 days, men: 67.2 ± 96.3 days, P = 0.001). The mean time from injury occurrence to return to sport was 235.2 ± 281.0 days. Women showed a longer mean timeline for return to sport compared with men (women: 245.2 ± 288.2 days, men: 179.3 ± 231.9 days, P = 0.014). CONCLUSION: Sesamoiditis was the most common diagnosis, and dance, running, and soccer were top 3 sports. The most salient finding was that women taking almost twice as long to return the sport or activity compared with men, which likely stems from delay of reporting symptom onset to clinics.

Sport specialization of female figure skaters: cumulative effects on low back injuries.

Objective: 1) to determine the proportion of sport specialization among female figure skaters, 2) to compare proportion of low back injuries between specialized female figure skaters and non-specialized female figure skaters, and 3) to identify an independent risk factor(s) for low back injuries in female figure skaters.Methods: A cross-sectional questionnaire study was used. Young female figure skaters were asked questions related to sport specialization and any history of low back injuries. The primary outcome variables were status of sport specialization, weekly training hours, and low back injury. Descriptive statistics, t-test, chi-square analyses, and binary logistic regressions were used.Results: Responses from 132 female figure skaters (mean age: 16.3 ± 2.7 years, age range: 8-22 years) were analyzed. Sixty-two percent (82/132) of figure skaters were specialized. Specialized female figure skaters spent more time in training (11.3 ± 6.5 hours/week) than non-specialized skaters (7.6 ± 4.9 hours/week, p = 0.001). No statistical differences were found in proportion of low back injury history between specialized (25.6%) and non-specialized female figure skaters (24.0%, p = 0.836). Chronological age was also identified as an independent risk factor for low back injuries in female figure skaters (aOR: 1.24, 95%CI: 1.00, 1.54, p = 0.048).Conclusions: The majority of female figure skaters in this cohort were specialized. An association between chronological age and low back injuries, found in the current study, may be a result of cumulative effects of participating in figure skating over time.

Pediatric and Adolescent Figure Skating Injuries: A 15-Year Retrospective Review.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the characteristics of injuries sustained by young figure skaters who were evaluated at regional pediatric sports medicine clinics. DESIGN: Retrospective chart review (2003-2017). SETTING: Sports medicine clinics at a tertiary-level pediatric medical center. PATIENTS: Two hundred ninety-four figure skaters (271 female and 23 male). Age rage: 9 to 19 years. Mean age: 14.2 ± 2.3 years. INTERVENTIONS: None. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Mechanism of injury (acute vs overuse), injured body areas, diagnoses for most commonly injured body areas, and distribution of bone stress injuries. RESULTS: Eight hundred sixty-four figure skating-related injuries were identified. Approximately 68.9% were overuse and 31.1% were acute. In female figure skaters, the most frequently injured body areas were foot/ankle (29.6%), knee (19.3%), and back (15.8%). In male figure skaters, they were foot/ankle (25.4%), hip (16.4%), and knee (14.9%). Most common diagnoses at these body areas were tendinopathy (foot/ankle), extensor mechanism (knee), and posterior column bone stress injuries (back). All injuries to anterior knee structures, excluding bone contusions, were categorized as extensor mechanism injuries. About 11.8% of all injuries were bone stress reactions/fractures with the majority occurring at the back (42.2%), foot/ankle (32.4%), and lower leg (15.7%). CONCLUSION: Most injuries sustained by figure skaters were overuse and occurred most commonly at the foot/ankle (29.6%), knee (19.3%), and back (15.8%). Approximately 1 in 10 injuries were bone stress reactions/fractures, and nearly 1 in every 3 skaters who presented with back pain was diagnosed with a posterior column bone stress injury. Health care providers who take care of young figure skaters need to maintain a high index of suspicion for overuse injuries, especially bone stress reactions/fractures.

Effect of Sports and Growth on Hamstrings and Quadriceps Development in Young Female Athletes: Cross-Sectional Study.

CONTEXT: Lower extremity muscular strength may vary by different sport participation during growth process. OBJECTIVE: To investigate effect of sport participation and growth by comparing strength of the hamstrings, quadriceps, and hamstrings to quadriceps strength ratio (H:Q ratio) between young female figure skaters and soccer players. DESIGN: Cross-sectional. SETTINGS: Laboratory affiliated with regional sports medicine center. PARTICIPANTS: pediatric and adolescent female athletes. PROCEDURES: Isometric hamstrings and quadriceps strength were measured. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Strength of the hamstrings, quadriceps, and hamstrings to quadriceps strength ratio (H:Q ratio). STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Effect of sport participation and growth was analyzed through a two-way (two sports: figure skaters and soccer players; three age groups: <12 years, 13-16 years, and >17 years) analysis of covariance. RESULTS: Hamstrings strength was significantly greater in figure skaters than soccer players. Also, hamstring strength of 13-16 years and >17 years was higher compared to <12 years. Additionally, significantly higher H:Q ratio in figure skaters compared to soccer players. CONCLUSIONS: There is effect of growth on hamstrings strength among 13-16 years and >17 years compared to <12 years. Figure skaters showed greater hamstrings strength and H:Q ratio than female soccer players.

Sideline Coverage of Figure Skating Events.

The sport of figure skating has evolved to include various disciplines and athletes continue to push the limits of the skills they perform, thus increasing the potential for injury in practice, as well as in competition. To provide optimal rink side coverage, health care professionals must be aware of the elements skaters perform and the injuries to be expected. Appropriate planning and coordination of medical services is required to ensure adequate and timely care of injured figure skaters. Protocols developed for local, national, and international events are available to assist in this process.

Career Transitions for the Young Dancer: Considering Psychological Implications, Challenges with Athletic Identity, and Need for Available Resources.

AIMS: Young dancers are likely to revolve their entire identity around dance, and there is the potential risk for disruption to their identity and psychological upset upon change of status or loss of dance following high school. The objective of our study was to systematically review the current literature examining psychological implications, athletic identity, and career transitions for young dancers. METHODS: A systematic review was performed covering the last 30 years of dance-related literature (1987-2017) through PubMed and EBSCOhost. To be included, the following criteria had to be met: 1) dancers' ages were between 14-22 years, 2) dancers' training experience was documented and its duration was at least 5 years, and 3) information regarding career transition including available resources, athletic identity, or psychological impact was stated. All statements, documentation, and information related to dancer career transition and choice, including psychological impact, athletic identity, and available resources, were extracted. Quality assessment and level of evidence plans were set a priori. RESULTS: Four publications were found as a result of the systematic review; however, no study met all three of our inclusion criteria. CONCLUSIONS: No formal research exists that focuses on career transition for young dancers. More studies are needed that focus on the psychological and physical implications of career decisions for dancers in order to guide healthy decisions when transitioning out of high school into a career path.

Epidemiology of Figure Skating Injuries: A Review of the Literature.

CONTEXT:: As the popularity and technical demands of figure skating increase, so will the number of athletes presenting with sport-related problems. EVIDENCE ACQUISITION:: Searches were performed across PubMed from 1980 to 2017. The keywords searched were skating, skaters, incidence, and injuries. The search was limited to English-language articles and human participants. Relevant articles were cross-referenced. STUDY DESIGN:: Clinical review. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE:: Level 5. RESULTS:: Previous studies suggest an increase in incidence of figure skating injuries from 1982 to 2003. When combining all disciplines of figure skating, there is a similar proportion of acute and overuse injuries. Within disciplines, overuse injuries appear to be more common in singles skating, while acute injuries are more common in pairs skating, ice dancing, and synchronized skating. Lower extremity injuries are more common than upper extremity injuries in all disciplines, and pairs skating accounts for the majority of upper extremity injuries. Ankle sprains are the most common skating injury, and patellar tendinitis is the most common overuse injury across all disciplines. Stress fractures are the most common overuse injury in female singles skaters. CONCLUSION:: The predominance of overuse injuries in singles disciplines reflects their increasing technical difficulty, with more difficult jumps and longer training hours. Partner disciplines are more likely to involve acute injuries and upper extremity injuries due to high-risk throws and lifts. Emphasis should be placed on properly fitting skating boots, intrinsic foot and ankle strengthening, and lower extremity flexibility, which may prevent many of the common lower extremity and back injuries in figure skating.