Cross-sectional Study of the Hip Joint Condition in Young Baseball Players.

OBJECTIVE: The hip joint is a crucial part of the kinetic chain for throwing baseball pitches. Nevertheless, few reports have described assessments of the functional development of the hip joint in young baseball players. METHODS: We examined 315 young baseball players, 7-14 years old, all of whom had completed a self-administered questionnaire including items related to the dominant side and throwing-related hip joint pain sustained during the previous year. We measured the hip ranges of motion (ROMs: external and internal rotation and flexion) and hip muscle strengths (external and internal rotation) on the dominant and non-dominant sides. The differences of hip ROMs and muscle strengths between the dominant and non-dominant sides and between age groups were investigated. Correlations were calculated between the players ages and hip ROMs and muscle strengths. RESULTS: No baseball player reported hip pain. The hip external rotation on the dominant side was smaller than that on the non-dominant side, whereas the hip internal rotation on the dominant side was greater than that on the non-dominant side. However, no significant difference was found between the dominant and non-dominant sides in terms of the hip muscle strength. Significant positive associations were found between the player's age and hip muscle strengths, whereas significant negative associations were found between the age and hip ROMs. CONCLUSIONS: Our data concerning the relationship between age and hip joint development could be useful for supporting strategies for the prevention and rehabilitation of throwing injuries; however, hip injuries might be rare among young baseball players.

Penetrating Anorectal Injury Caused by a Wild Boar Attack: A Case Report.

Wild boar attacks have rarely been reported in the medical literature. This is the case of an 83-year-old male farmer who was assaulted from behind by an injured adult wild boar. He presented with hemorrhagic shock after sustaining injuries to the right profunda femoris artery and right sciatic nerve as well as significant soft-tissue injuries, bilateral iliac wing fractures, an open pneumothorax, and an anorectal injury. The anorectal injury was treated with fecal diversion but was complicated by soft-tissue infection in the surrounding dead space. The patient needed multiple operations, including removal of the distal rectum and creation of a permanent colostomy. In this report, we highlighted the characteristics of anorectal trauma caused by a wild boar attack. We conclude that penetrating anorectal injuries caused by this type of attack can be associated with extensive soft-tissue damage despite externally appearing to be simple puncture wounds. Anorectal combat injuries have demonstrated similar extensive surrounding soft-tissue injuries and propensity for infection; therefore, this case supports adopting a similar treatment strategy, that of serial and radical debridement, to treat certain wild boar injuries.

Treatment With Helical Blade Cephalomedullary Nail for Two-Part Basicervical Proximal Femoral Fracture in Elderly Patients: A Retrospective Observational Study.

BACKGROUND: Basicervical proximal femoral fracture is a known subtype of extracapsular fracture and is mechanically unstable, especially for the rotational direction, which may lead to implant failure. A cephalomedullary nail (CMN) is widely used for the fixation of unstable extracapsular fracture; however, its application for basicervical fracture remains controversial. Helical blade CMN is proven to have more rotational stability than traditional lag screw implants and potentially advantageous in the treatment of basicervical fracture. The aim of this study is to assess the effectiveness of helical blade CMN for basicervical fracture in elderly patients. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective review of 500 consecutive extracapsular fracture patients treated surgically between January 2005 and February 2015. Patients who had trochanteric extension or multifragment fracture were excluded. Sixteen cases of 2-part basicervical proximal femoral fracture were identified. All patients were treated with the same single helical blade CMN system (DePuy Synthes PFNA-II). Implant-related complications were recorded. RESULTS: Two patients dropped out during follow-up and 14 patients were included in the analysis. The average follow-up period was 21.9 months. No major complication was observed. The patients were subcategorized into 2 groups: nondisplaced (displacement <2 mm at any point of the fracture line) or displaced. Excessive telescoping was observed in 2 patients, both of whom were in the displaced fracture group. The overall implant-related complication rate was 14.2% (2/16). CONCLUSION: Internal fixation with the helical blade CMN system can be considered as a treatment option for 2-part basicervical proximal femoral fracture in elderly patients.