ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the study was to determine whether a performance difference exists between baseball players with "same" (right-right) and "crossed" (right-left) hand-ocular dominance. DESIGN: A cohort study design was used. PARTICIPANTS: Four hundred and ten major and minor league members of the Los Angeles Dodgers professional baseball team. INTERVENTION: Measurement of ocular dominance. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Batting average and earned run average (ERA). RESULTS: Same/crossed dominance (with P values in parentheses) are as follows: Batting averages: major league-0.271/0.251 (0.20); minor league-0.274/0.270 (0.57); ERA: major league-3.34/3.56 (0.66); minor league-4.00/4.20 (0.54). CONCLUSIONS: Hand-ocular dominance patterns do not have an effect on batting average or ERA.
Subject(s)
Baseball , Dominance, Cerebral/physiology , Functional Laterality/physiology , Ocular Physiological Phenomena , Cohort Studies , Humans , MaleABSTRACT
This article reviews the most common medical problems encountered in the day-to-day care of athletes at all levels of competition. Common medical conditions affecting the pulmonary, gastrointestinal, urological, and endocrine systems are reviewed, as well as common infectious diseases. Review of environmental factors affecting athletes, including sleep disorders, travel, and exposure to the environment during athletic competition, are discussed.
Subject(s)
Athletic Injuries/therapy , Disease , Sports , Communicable Diseases/therapy , Endocrine System Diseases/therapy , Environmental Exposure , Gastrointestinal Diseases/therapy , Humans , Lung Diseases/therapy , Metabolic Diseases/therapy , Otorhinolaryngologic Diseases/therapy , Primary Health Care , Skin Diseases, Infectious/therapy , Sleep Wake Disorders/therapy , Therapeutics , Travel , Urologic Diseases/therapyABSTRACT
PURPOSE: To measure the visual acuity, stereoacuity, and contrast sensitivity of professional baseball players. METHODS: Three hundred eighty-seven professional baseball players underwent several tests of visual function including distance visual acuity. Stereoacuity was evaluated at near by the Randot test and at distance by both contour and random dot targets. Distance stereoacuity was also tested under timed and untimed conditions. Contrast sensitivity was evaluated by the Vision Contrast Test System, Contrast Sensitivity Viewer, and Binocular Visual Acuity Tester. RESULTS: Visual acuity (measured with players' regular distance correction) in 774 eyes ranged from 20/8.89 to 20/100. Near stereoacuity ranged from 23 to 37 seconds of arc, mean untimed distance contour stereoacuity from 55 to 35 seconds of arc, and mean untimed distance random dot stereoacuity from 98 to 76 seconds of arc. The results under timed conditions were 86 to 65 seconds of arc (timed distance contour stereoacuity) and 104 to 83 seconds of arc (timed distance random dot stereoacuity). Statistically significant differences were found between major and minor league players on tests of untimed distance contour and random dot stereopsis, and on contrast sensitivity testing with the 3.0- and 6.0-cpd gratings using the Contrast Sensitivity Viewer. CONCLUSIONS: Professional baseball players have excellent visual skills. Mean visual acuity, distance stereoacuity, and contrast sensitivity are significantly better than those of the general population.
Subject(s)
Baseball , Contrast Sensitivity/physiology , Depth Perception/physiology , Vision, Ocular/physiology , Visual Acuity/physiology , Humans , Male , Vision TestsABSTRACT
Fat embolism after bilateral total knee arthroplasty (TKA) occurred in 12% of the authors' patients having bilateral TKA with intramedullary instrumentation. Usually embolism was manifested as neurologic changes, most often changes of mental status. Death is a potential consequence, and this occurred in one patient. The present authors believe that fat embolism is not predictable preoperatively and propose that intraoperative guidelines can be used to reduce risk of this complication. Intraoperative monitoring by a Swan-Ganz catheter will permit measurement of the pulmonary arterial pressure, pulmonary vascular resistance, and pulmonary capillary wedge pressure. A sustained rise of any of these would be an indication to abort the second knee operation. If Swan-Ganz catheter is not available, a sustained fall of oxygen saturation to 90% or lower can be used as a criterion. The risk for fat embolism is increased with the use of intramedullary instrumentation, and the above guidelines are recommended for operations with this type of instrumentation. A fluted intramedullary rod and vent holes should be used.
