Adolescent athlete low back pain diagnoses, characteristics, and management: A retrospective chart review.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to characterise the presentation, treatment, and management of adolescent athlete low back pain (LBP) as diagnosed in a clinical setting. The objectives were to 1) identify diagnoses associated with LBP in adolescent athletes; 2) categorise the differences in LBP diagnosis and presentation by sport, sex, BMI, and age; and 3) examine treatment and management methods of LBP in adolescent athletes. DESIGN: Retrospective chart review. METHODS: This retrospective medical chart review was conducted in the Sports Medicine Division of Boston Children's Hospital (BCH), a tertiary paediatric academic hospital. Data were collected and analysed from 363 adolescent athletes who had experienced LBP between 2015 and 2020. Chi-squared tests for association were used to assess for associations between LBP diagnoses and age, sex, BMI, and sport. Statistical analysis was conducted using SAS software version 9.4 (SAS Institute, Cary NC). RESULTS: Non-specific LBP was the most common LBP diagnosis amongst 363 adolescent athletes with LBP (34 %). This was closely followed by spondylolysis (28 %). There was a higher proportion of female athletes amongst participants diagnosed with facet-joint related pain (90 %) and SI-joint related pain (89 %) compared to the proportion of female athletes amongst participants diagnosed with spondylolysis (50 %). There was a high rate of diagnostic MRI usage in this cohort. Commonly used management techniques in this cohort were diagnostic MRI, physical therapy, relative rest, and bracing. CONCLUSIONS: An awareness of the sex-based differences in adolescent athlete LBP diagnoses may be useful for clinicians. It may be important to refine methods of diagnosis of LBP in this group, as there was a high rate of diagnostic MRI use. Future research should be directed towards the development of management guidelines specific to LBP in adolescent athletes to assist in the optimal management of this diagnosis.

Adolescents With a High Burden of New-Onset Mood Symptoms After Sport-Related Concussion Benefit From Prescribed Aerobic Exercise, a Secondary Analysis of 2 Randomized Controlled Trials.

OBJECTIVE: Approximately 20% of students with sport-related concussion (SRC) report new symptoms of anxiety and depression which may be associated with delayed recovery and increased risk for developing a mood disorder. Early prescribed aerobic exercise facilitates recovery in athletes with concussion-related exercise intolerance. We studied the effect of aerobic exercise treatment on new mood symptoms early after SRC. DESIGN: Exploratory secondary analysis of 2 randomized controlled trials (RCT). SETTING: Sports medicine clinics associated with UB (Buffalo, NY), CHOP (Philadelphia, PA), and Boston Children's Hospital (Boston, MA). PARTICIPANTS: Male and female adolescents (aged 13-18 years) diagnosed with SRC (2-10 days since injury). INTERVENTIONS: Participants were randomized to individualized targeted heart rate aerobic exercise (n = 102) or to a placebo intervention designed to mimic relative rest (n = 96). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Incidence of Persisting Post-Concussive Symptoms (PPCS, symptoms ≥28 days). RESULTS: First RCT recruited from 2016 to 2018 and the second from 2018 to 2020. Of 198 adolescents, 156 (79%) reported a low burden (mean 1.2 ± 1.65/24) while 42 (21%) reported a high burden (mean 9.74 ± 3.70/24) of emotional symptoms before randomization. Intervention hazard ratio for developing PPCS for low burden was 0.767 (95% CI, 0.546-1.079; P = 0.128; ß = 0.085) and for high burden was 0.290 (95% CI, 0.123-0.683; P = 0.005; ß = 0.732). CONCLUSIONS: High burden of mood symptoms early after injury increases risk for PPCS, but the sports medicine model of providing early targeted aerobic exercise treatment reduces it. Nonsports medicine clinicians who treat patients with a high burden of new mood symptoms after concussion should consider prescribing aerobic exercise treatment to reduce the risk of PPCS and a mood disorder.

Research Letter: Concussion-Related General Startle Suppression in Adolescent Athletes.

OBJECTIVES: We investigated the acoustic startle reflex in recently concussed adolescent athletes compared to healthy controls and those with concussion history (>1 year prior) but no current symptoms. We hypothesized that individuals with recent concussion would have a suppressed startle response compared to healthy controls. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study on 49 adolescent athletes with a recent concussion (n = 20; age: 14.6 ± 1.6 years; 60% female), a concussion history > 1 year prior (n = 16; age: 14.8 ± 2.0 years; 44% female), and healthy controls (n = 13; age: 13.3 ± 2.8 years; 54% female). We measured the eyeblink of the general startle reflex via electromyography activity of the orbicularis oculi muscle using electrodes placed under the right eye. Measurement sessions included twelve 103 decibel acoustic startle probes ~50 milliseconds in duration delivered ~15-25 seconds apart. The primary dependent variable was mean startle magnitude (µV), and group was the primary independent variable. We used a one-way analysis of variance followed by a Tukey post hoc test to compare mean startle magnitude between groups. RESULTS: Mean startle magnitude significantly differed (F = 5.49, P = .007) among the groups. Mean startle magnitude was significantly suppressed for the concussion (P = .01) and concussion history groups (P = .02) compared to healthy controls. There was no significant difference between the recent concussion and concussion history groups (P = 1.00). CONCLUSION: Our results provide novel evidence for startle suppression in adolescent athletes following concussion. The concussion history group had an attenuated startle response beyond resolution of their recovery, suggesting there may be lingering physiological dysfunction.

Running Biomechanics and Clinical Features Among Adolescent Athletes With Lower Leg Chronic Exertional Compartment Syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: To compare clinical measures between patients with chronic exertional compartment syndrome (CECS) and healthy controls and evaluate running biomechanics, physical measurements, and exertional intracompartmental (ICP) changes in adolescent athletes with lower leg CECS. DESIGN: Cross-sectional case-control study. SETTING: Large tertiary care hospital and affiliated injury prevention center. PARTICIPANTS: Forty-nine adolescents with CECS (39 F, 10 M; age: 16.9 ± 0.8 years; body mass index (BMI): 23.1 ± 2.9 kg/m 2 ; symptom duration: 8 ± 12 months) were compared with 49 healthy controls (39 F, 10 M; age: 6.9 ± 0.8 years; BMI: 20.4 ± 3.7 kg/m 2 ). INTERVENTIONS: All participants underwent gait analyses on a force plate treadmill and clinical lower extremity strength and range of motion testing. Patients with chronic exertional compartment syndrome underwent Stryker monitor ICP testing. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Symptoms, menstrual history, and ICP pressures of the patients with CECS using descriptive statistics. Mann-Whitney U and χ 2 analyses were used to compare CECS with healthy patients for demographics, clinical measures, and gait biomechanics continuous and categorical outcomes, respectively. For patients with CECS, multiple linear regressions analyses were used to assess associations between gait biomechanics, lower extremity strength and range of motion, and with ICP measures. RESULTS: The CECS group demonstrated higher mass-normalized peak ground reaction force measures (xBW) compared with controls (0.21 ± 0.05 xBW ( P < 0.001) and were more likely to have impact peak at initial contact ( P = 0.04). Menstrual dysfunction was independently associated with higher postexertion ICP (ß = 14.6; P = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: The CECS group demonstrated increased total force magnitude and vertical impact transient peaks. In women with CECS, menstrual dysfunction was independently associated with increased postexertion ICP. These biomechanical and physiological attributes may play a role in the development of CECS.

Time-Dependent Long-Term Effect of Memantine following Repetitive Mild Traumatic Brain Injury.

Repetitive mild traumatic brain injury (rmTBI, e.g., sports concussions) may be associated with both acute and chronic symptoms and neurological changes. Despite the common occurrence of these injuries, therapeutic strategies are limited. One potentially promising approach is N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) blockade to alleviate the effects of post-injury glutamatergic excitotoxicity. Initial pre-clinical work using the NMDAR antagonist, memantine, suggests that immediate treatment following rmTBI improves a variety of acute outcomes. It remains unclear (1) whether acute memantine treatment has long-term benefits and (2) whether delayed treatment following rmTBI is beneficial, which are both clinically relevant concerns. To test this, animals were subjected to rmTBI via a weight drop model with rotational acceleration (five hits in 5 days) and randomized to memantine treatment immediately, 3 months, or 6 months post-injury, with a treatment duration of one month. Behavioral outcomes were assessed at 1, 4, and 7 months post-injury. Neuropathological outcomes were characterized at 7 months post-injury. We observed chronic changes in behavior (anxiety-like behavior, motor coordination, spatial learning, and memory), as well as neuroinflammation (microglia, astrocytes) and tau phosphorylation (T231). Memantine treatment, either immediately or 6 months post-injury, appears to confer greater rescue of neuroinflammatory changes (microglia) than vehicle or treatment at the 3-month time point. Although memantine is already being prescribed chronically to address persistent symptoms associated with rmTBI, this study represents the first evidence of which we are aware to suggest a small but durable effect of memantine treatment in mild, concussive injuries. This effect suggests that memantine, although potentially beneficial, is insufficient to treat all aspects of rmTBI alone and should be combined with other therapeutic agents in a multi-therapy approach, with attention given to the timing of treatment.

Visual Impairment in Pre-Clinical Models of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury.

Impairment in visual function is common after traumatic brain injury (TBI) in the clinical setting, a phenomenon that translates to pre-clinical animal models as well. In Morris et al. (2021), we reported histological changes following weight-drop-induced TBI in a rodent model including retinal ganglion cell (RGC) loss, decreased electroretinogram (ERG) evoked potential, optic nerve diameter reduction, induced inflammation and gliosis, and loss of myelin accompanied by markedly impaired visual acuity. In this review, we will describe several pre-clinical TBI models that result in injuries to the visual system, indicating that visual function may be impaired following brain injury induced by a number of different injury modalities. This underscores the importance of understanding the role of the visual system and the potential detrimental sequelae to this sensory modality post-TBI. Given that most commonly employed behavioral tests such as the Elevated Plus Maze and Morris Water Maze rely on an intact visual system, interpretation of functional deficits in diffuse models may be confounded by off- target effects on the visual system.

Telehealth Potential in Pediatric Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine Care is Comparable to In-Person Care But Disparities Remain.

BACKGROUND: Understanding the challenges and potential of telehealth visits (THVs) in a large population can inform future practice and policy discussion for pediatric orthopaedic and sports medicine (OSM) care. We comprehensively assess telehealth challenges and potential in a large pediatric OSM population based on access, visit completion, patient satisfaction, and technological challenges. METHODS: Demographics, address, insurance, visit information, patient feedback, experience with video visits, and technical challenges of all 2019 to 2020 visits at our hospital were assessed (3,278,006 visits). We evaluated the differences in rate of telehealth utilization, rate of patient adherence, disparities in care access and patient satisfaction, and technological issues. RESULTS: Compared with in-person prepandemic visits, THVs had lower ratios of non-White patients (by 5.8%; P <0.001), Hispanic patients (by 2.8%; P <0.001) and patients with public insurance (by 1.8%; P <0.001), and a higher mean distance between the patient's residence and clinic (by 18.8 miles; P <0.001). There were minimal differences in median household income (average $2297 less in THV; P <0.001) and social vulnerability index (average 0.01 points lower in THV; P <0.001) between groups. THVs had comparable patient satisfaction to in-person visits. Non-White patients, Hispanics, and those with public insurance had lower ratings for both in-person visits and THVs and had more technical difficulties during their THV. CONCLUSIONS: Telehealth is a viable method of care for a range of pediatric OSM conditions, providing a similar quality of care as in-person visits with a greater geographic reach. However, in its current format, reduced disparities were not observed in pediatric OSM THVs. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III.

Relationship Between Running Biomechanics and Core Temperature Across a Competitive Road Race.

BACKGROUND: Outdoor races introduce environmental stressors to runners, and core temperature changes may influence runners' movement patterns. This study assessed changes and determined relationships between sensor-derived running biomechanics and core temperature among runners across an 11.27-km road race. HYPOTHESIS: Core temperatures would increase significantly across the race, related to changes in spatiotemporal biomechanical measures. STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional cohort study. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level 3. METHODS: Twenty runners (9 female, 11 male; age, 48 ± 12 years; height, 169.7 ± 9.1 cm; mass, 71.3 ± 13.4 kg) enrolled in the 2022 Falmouth Road Race were recruited. Participants used lightweight technologies (ingestible thermistors and wearable sensors) to monitor core temperature and running biomechanics throughout the race. Timestamps were used to align sensor-derived measures for 7 race segments. Observations were labeled as core temperatures generally within normal limits (<38°C) or at elevated core temperatures (≥38°C). Multivariate repeated measures analyses of variance were used to assess changes in sensor-derived measures across the race, with Bonferroni post hoc comparisons for significant findings. Pearson's r correlations were used to assess the relationship between running biomechanics and core temperature measures. RESULTS: Eighteen participants developed hyperthermic core temperatures (39.0°C ± 0.5°C); core temperatures increased significantly across the race (P < 0.01). Kinetic measures obtained from the accelerometers, including shock, impact, and braking g, all significantly increased across the race (P < 0.01); other sensor-derived biomechanical measures did not change significantly. Core temperatures were weakly associated with biomechanics (|r range|, 0.02-0.16). CONCLUSION: Core temperatures and kinetics increased significantly across a race, yet these outcomes were not strongly correlated. The observed kinetic changes may have been attributed to fatigue-related influences over the race. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Clinicians may not expect changes in biomechanical movement patterns to signal thermal responses during outdoor running in a singular event.

Concussion Symptoms and Neurocognitive Performance of Children and Adolescents on Antidepressants.

INTRODUCTION/PURPOSE: There is a well-established association between preexisting depression/anxiety and greater postconcussion symptom burden, but the potential impact of antidepressant medications has not been fully explored. The primary objective of this study was to compare preinjury/baseline and postinjury concussion symptom scores and neurocognitive performance of athletes on antidepressant medications, both with healthy controls and with those with depression/anxiety not on antidepressants. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study using data collected from 49,270 junior and high school athletes from computerized neurocognitive assessments (Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Test [ImPACT]) administered between 2009 and 2018 held by the Massachusetts Concussion Management Coalition. The main outcome measures were symptom scores and neurocognitive performance measures, all of which were assessed both at baseline and postinjury. Statistical analysis included analysis of variance and Tukey pairwise comparisons for continuous variables and Fisher's exact test for categorical variables. Multivariate regression models were used to adjust for potential confounding variables. RESULTS: Both at baseline and postinjury, athletes with depression/anxiety had mean total symptom scores that were more than double that of healthy controls regardless of antidepressant use. Although there were no significant differences in neurocognitive performance at baseline, depression/anxiety was associated with small but significant decreases in postinjury visual memory and visual motor scores. CONCLUSIONS: Both at baseline and after sustaining a concussion, young athletes with depression/anxiety experience significantly greater symptom burden compared with healthy controls regardless of antidepressant use.

Pediatric Sport-Related Concussion: Recommendations From the Amsterdam Consensus Statement 2023.

The 6th International Consensus Conference on Concussion in Sport, Amsterdam 2022, addressed sport-related concussion (SRC) in adults, adolescents, and children. We highlight the updated evidence-base and recommendations regarding SRC in children (5-12 years) and adolescents (13-18 years). Prevention strategies demonstrate lower SRC rates with mouthguard use, policy disallowing bodychecking in ice hockey, and neuromuscular training in adolescent rugby. The Sport Concussion Assessment Tools (SCAT) demonstrate robustness with the parent and child symptom scales, with the best diagnostic discrimination within the first 72 hours postinjury. Subacute evaluation (>72 hours) requires a multimodal tool incorporating symptom scales, balance measures, cognitive, oculomotor and vestibular, mental health, and sleep assessment, to which end the Sport Concussion Office Assessment Tools (SCOAT6 [13+] and Child SCOAT6 [8-12]) were developed. Rather than strict rest, early return to light physical activity and reduced screen time facilitate recovery. Cervicovestibular rehabilitation is recommended for adolescents with dizziness, neck pain, and/or headaches for greater than 10 days. Active rehabilitation and collaborative care for adolescents with persisting symptoms for more than 30 days may decrease symptoms. No tests and measures other than standardized and validated symptom rating scales are valid for diagnosing persisting symptoms after concussion. Fluid and imaging biomarkers currently have limited clinical utility in diagnosing or assessing recovery from SRC. Improved paradigms for return to school were developed. The variable nature of disability and differences in evaluating para athletes and those of diverse ethnicity, sex, and gender are discussed, as are ethical considerations and future directions in pediatric SRC research.

Biomechanical changes identified during a marathon race among high-school aged runners.

BACKGROUND: Despite the increasing popularity of endurance running competitions among adolescent runners, there is currently limited information regarding expected biomechanical changes across the duration of a long-distance running event, and the relationship between young runners' biomechanics and running performance. Wearable technology offers an ecological means to continuously assess runners' biomechanical data during outdoor running competitions. RESEARCH QUESTION: Do adolescent athletes adopt changes in sensor-derived biomechanics throughout a marathon race, and are there relationships between race performance and biomechanical features among young marathoners? METHODS: Fourteen high-school aged runners (9 M, 5 F; age: 16 ± 1 years, height: 170.8 ± 7.5 cm; mass: 63.6 ± 9.4 kg) wore lace-mounted sensors to record step-by-step biomechanics during a marathon race. Official race segment completion times were extracted across 5 race segments (5-K, 15-K, Half Marathon [21.1-K], 35-K, Marathon [42.2-K]). Within-participant repeated measures of covariance (pace) were conducted to assess changes in biomechanics across the race, with Bonferroni post-hoc comparisons. Pearson's r correlations were performed to assess the relationship between race finish times and biomechanics. RESULTS: Pace was significantly slower (p-range: 0.002-0.005), contact times significantly longer, and stride lengths significantly shorter in the final segment compared to middle segments (p-range: 0.003-0.004). The rate of shock accumulation was significantly higher in the final race segment compared to the first three segments (p-range: 0.001-0.002). Moderate relationships existed between finish times and pace (r = -0.63), stride length (r = -0.62), and contact time (r = 0.51). SIGNIFICANCE: Adolescent runners altered their gait patterns in the final marathon segment compared to earlier segments. Spatiotemporal measures were moderately correlated with race finish times, suggesting a link between faster run pace, increased stride lengths, and reduced contact time for improved running performance during an endurance race.

Factors Associated with Symptom Resolution after Aerobic Exercise Intervention in Adolescent and Young Adults with Concussion.

BACKGROUND: Aerobic exercise facilitates postconcussion symptom resolution at the group level, but patient-level characteristics may affect the likelihood of treatment efficacy. PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate demographic and clinical characteristics, which differentiate postconcussion aerobic exercise treatment efficacy from nonefficacy in the intervention arm of a randomized clinical trial. METHODS: Adolescent and young adult participants initiated a standardized aerobic exercise intervention within 14 d of concussion, consisting of self-selected exercise for 100 min·wk -1 at an individualized heart rate (80% of heart rate induced symptom exacerbation during graded exercise testing). Treatment efficacy was defined as symptom resolution within 28-d postconcussion. Treatment efficacy and nonefficacy groups were compared on demographics, clinical characteristics, intervention adherence, and persistent symptom risk using the Predicting Persistent Postconcussive Problems in Pediatrics (5P) clinical risk score. RESULTS: A total of 27 participants (16.1 ± 2.3 yr old; range, 11-21 yr; 52% female) began the intervention, with a mean of 9.5 ± 3.7 d after concussion; half ( n = 13; 48%) demonstrated treatment efficacy (symptom resolution within 28 d postconcussion). Those whose symptoms resolved within 28 d had significantly lower preintervention postconcussion symptom inventory scores (21.2 ± 13.2 vs 41.4 ± 22.2; P < 0.01), greater adherence to the intervention (77% vs 36%; P = 0.05), and longer average exercise duration (median [interquartile range], 49.7 [36.8-68.6] vs 30.4 [20.7-34.7] min; P < 0.01) than those whose symptoms lasted more than 28 d. Groups were similar in age, sex, timing of intervention, and preintervention 5P risk score. CONCLUSIONS: A standardized aerobic exercise intervention initiated within 14 d of concussion demonstrated efficacy for approximately half of participants, according to our definition of treatment efficacy. This multisite aerobic exercise intervention suggests that lower symptom severity, higher intervention adherence, and greater exercise duration are factors that increase the likelihood of symptoms resolving within 28 d of concussion.

A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial Evaluating Transcranial Photobiomodulation as Treatment for Concussion.

INTRODUCTION: Literature indicating that transcranial photobiomodulation (tPBM) may enable the brain to recover normal function after concussion, resulting in symptoms reduction, and improved cognitive function after concussion is limited by small sample sizes and lack of controls. METHODS: We conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial examining the effect of 6 wk of tPBM in patients 11 yr or older who received care for persistent postconcussion symptoms between September 2012 and December 2015. Our primary outcome measure was the mean difference in Postconcussion Symptom Scale total score and the raw Immediate Postconcussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing composite scores between study entry and treatment completion. Participants received two, 10-min sessions either with tPBM units or via two placebo units, three times per week. We screened for potential confounding variables using univariable analyses. We entered covariables that differed between the two groups on univariable screening into a regression analysis. We considered adjusted odds ratio that did not cross one statistically significant. RESULTS: Forty-eight participants completed the study. Most were female (63%), and a majority sustained their injury during sports or exercise (71%). Despite randomization, those that received tPBM therapy reported a greater number of previous concussions. After adjusting for the effect of previous concussions and multiple comparisons, there were no significant differences between tPBM and placebo groups at 3 or 6 wk of treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Despite showing promise in previous investigations, our study did not show benefit to tPBM over placebo therapy in patients experiencing persistent postconcussion symptoms. Further investigation is needed to determine if varying the dose or timing alters the efficacy of tPBM after concussion.

Lower Extremity Strength Relative to Body Mass in Pediatric Female Athletes: Implications for Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury.

This study compared lower extremity (LE) muscular strength by 3 groups of female athletes using chronological age and consideration of age of peak height velocity (PHV). Isometric quadriceps, hamstrings, and hip abductors strength were assessed from physically active, pediatric females. The body mass normalized isometric strength (N m/kg) was compared by the 3 age groups. There were 388 young female athletes (<10 years [14.2%], 11-14 years [48.7%], and 15-18 years [37.1%]). The body mass normalized LE strength was lower in 11-14 years compared with <10 years (quadriceps [P = .001], hamstrings [P = .001], and hip abductors [P = .037]) as well as in 15-18 years relative to <10 years in quadriceps (P = .001) and hamstrings (P = .001). The analysis results were consistent with both chronological age alone and incorporating effects of age of PHV. In short, body mass normalized LE strength (quadriceps, hamstrings, and hip abductors) of 11-14 years females was lower than <10 years females.

Clinical assessment, treatment, and referral trends for adolescent runners seeking care at an injured runners' clinic.

PURPOSE: Over a 10-year time frame, this study aimed to evaluate diagnosis, treatment, and referral trends for adolescent runners seeking care for running-related injuries (RRIs) at a clinic that specializes in running medicine. METHODS: This study was a retrospective chart review of 392 adolescent runners (2,326 encounters) who sought care for RRIs between the years 2011 and 2021. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize clinical assessments, referrals, assistive devices, and medications prescribed or administered overall and by injury type. Chi-square analyses were used to compare proportions of services rendered across the 10-year time frame. RESULTS: Patients most frequently received manual evaluations or special tests during clinic visits. Most visits resulted in at least one referral (91%), primarily for physical therapy or gait-training. Assistive devices and medications/supplements were offered at only 18% of patient visits. The majority of assessments (X2 = 69.7, p = 0.002), treatments (X2: 23.6-43.8, p: <  0.001-0.003), and referrals (X2 = 132, p <  0.001) were for shin injuries. Larger proportions of nutrition assessments (X2 = 40.7, p <  0.001), interventions (X2 = 26.8, p = 0.003), and referrals (X2 = 27.5, p = 0.002) were performed in or after the year 2015. CONCLUSION: Clinic visits for shin injuries required the most clinical resources per episode of care. There were observed shifts in clinical assessment and treatment approaches to include more expanded nutritional and physiologic considerations.

Sport specialisation and performance-enhancing substance use by young athletes.

Objectives: To investigate the association of reported legal performance enhancing substance (PES) use and consideration of banned PES use among sport-specialised and non-sport-specialised young athletes. Methods and design: Cross-sectional study of 1049 young athletes enrolled in an injury prevention programme from 2013 to 2020. We used logistic regression modelling to determine the independent association between sports specialisation. We reported (1) legal PES use and (2) consideration of banned PES use after adjusting for the effects of gender, age, having a relative as a coach, unrestricted internet access, use of a weight training regimen, and weeknight hours of sleep. Results: The final cohort consisted of 946 athletes with a mean age of 14. 56% were female, and 80% were sport-specialised athletes. 14% reported legal PES use, and 3% reported consideration of banned PES use. No difference was found between sport-specialised athletes who reported legal PES use (OR=1.4; 95% CI 0.81 to 2.43; p=0.23) or consideration of banned PES use (OR=3.2; 95% CI 0.78 to 14.92; p=0.1) compared with non-sport-specialised athletes. Reported legal PES use was more common among athletes who were male, older, used weight training, and slept less. Reported consideration of banned PES use was more common among male and older athletes. Conclusions: PES use is not independently associated with sport specialisation in young athletes. Athlete sex, age, training, and sleep patterns are important factors for young athletes to consider in PES use.

Ankle Sprain History Does Not Significantly Alter Single- and Dual-Task Spatiotemporal Gait Mechanics.

CONTEXT: Single- and dual-task walking gait assessments have been used to identify persistent movement and cognitive dysfunction among athletes with concussions. However, it is unclear whether previous ankle sprain injuries confound these outcomes during baseline testing. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of (1) ankle sprain history and (2) time since prior ankle sprain injury on single- and dual-task spatiotemporal gait outcomes and cognitive measures. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. METHODS: We assessed 60 college Division-I athletes (31 with ankle sprain history; 13 females and 18 males, 19.3 [0.8] y; 29 with no ankle sprain history, 14 females and 15 males, 19.7 [0.9] y) who completed injury history forms and underwent concussion baseline testing. Athletes completed single- and dual-task gait assessments by walking back and forth along an 8-m walkway for 40 seconds. Athletes wore a smartphone with an associated mobile application on their lumbar spine to record spatiotemporal gait parameters and dual-task cognitive performance. Separate multivariate analyses of variance were used to assess the effects of ankle sprain injury history on spatiotemporal measures, gait variability, and cognitive performance. We performed a multivariate regression subanalysis on athletes who reported time since injury (n = 23) to assess temporal effects on gait and cognitive performance. RESULTS: Athletes with and without a history of ankle sprains had comparable spatiotemporal and gait variability outcomes during single- (P = .42; P = .13) and dual-task (P = .75; P = .55) conditions. Additionally, ankle sprain injury history did not significantly influence cognitive performance (P = .35). Finally, time since ankle sprain did not significantly affect single- (P = .75) and dual-task gait (P = .69), nor cognitive performance (P = .19). CONCLUSIONS: Ankle sprain injury history did not significantly alter spatiotemporal gait outcomes nor cognitive performance during this common clinical assessment. Future studies may consider including athletes with ankle sprain injury history during concussion assessments.

Outpatient Runners Clinic Visit Trends and Injury Characteristics Among 392 Child and Adolescent Patients: A 10-year Chart Review.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate clinic visits and running-related injury (RRI) characteristics among child and adolescent runners seeking care at an outpatient clinic over a 10-year time frame. DESIGN: Retrospective chart review. SETTING: Outpatient hospital-affiliated Injured Runners Clinic. PATIENTS: Children and adolescent runners (6-17 years) with RRIs. INDEPENDENT VARIABLES: We examined electronic medical records (EMRs) among child and adolescent patients in the hospital database from 2011 to 2021 to obtain RRI characteristics and key demographic factors. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: We assessed volume and frequency of patient visits to the clinic by RRI characteristics. Chi square analyses were used to compare the proportion of clinic visits over time and injury trends by body region and diagnosis. RESULTS: There were 392 patients (sex: 277 F; mean age: 16.1 ± 1.3 years) and an average of 5 clinic visits per diagnosis (5 ± 4 visits; min: 1 visit, max: 31 visits). Number of visits generally increased over time up to 2016 but declined most drastically during the years of the pandemic (2020-2021; χ 2 = 644, P < 0 .001). Of the 654 new injury diagnoses, 77.68% were attributed to repetitive stress. Bone stress injuries to the tibia were the most common RRI (χ 2 = 1940, P < 0 .001; N = 132; 20.2% of all injuries) and constituted most of the clinic visits (χ 2 = 9271, P < 0 .001; N = 591; 25.4% of all visits). CONCLUSION: We identified that adolescents with overuse injuries, particularly bone stress injuries to the tibia, constituted most of the visits to the outpatient healthcare setting. Clinicians should emphasize injury prevention efforts in clinical practice to reduce RRI burden.

"Back pain is part of sport I'm just gonna have to live with it": Exploring the lived experience of sport-related low back pain in adolescent athletes.

OBJECTIVES: To examine the lived experience of adolescent athletes reporting an episode of sport-related low back pain (LBP), including effects on daily life, relationships with parent/guardians, teammates, and coaches with relation to LBP, experiences of management/treatment, and understanding of LBP. DESIGN: Qualitative interviewing using online video conferencing platforms. PARTICIPANTS: Athletes aged 10-19 years old who experienced low back pain within the year prior to interviewing. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Interview transcripts, Modified Oswestry Disability Index, and International Physical Activity Questionnaire. RESULTS: Three main themes were developed 1) The culture of normalising LBP in sport negates safeguarding efforts aimed at protecting adolescent athletes against injury and pain 2) LBP changes how athletes are perceived and perceive themselves 3) LBP has broad effects on the well-being of adolescent athletes. CONCLUSIONS: The lived experience of LBP for adolescent athletes is impacted by the culture of tolerance of pain and injury in sport. Further steps should be taken to implement safeguarding measures in a way that adequately protects adolescent athletes who experience pain.