ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: Pediatric athletes with concussion present with a variety of impairments on clinical assessment and require individualized treatment. The Buffalo Concussion Physical Examination is a brief, pertinent clinical assessment for individuals with concussion. The purpose of this study was to identify physical examination subtypes in pediatric athletes with concussion within 2 weeks of injury that are relevant to diagnosis and treatment. DESIGN: Secondary analysis of a published cohort study and clinician consensus. SETTING: Three university-affiliated sports medicine centers. PARTICIPANTS: Two hundred seventy children (14.9 ± 1.9 years). INDEPENDENT VARIABLES: Orthostatic intolerance, horizontal and vertical saccades, smooth pursuits, vestibulo-ocular reflex, near-point convergence, complex tandem gait, neck range of motion, neck tenderness, and neck spasm. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Correlations between independent variables were calculated, and network graphs were made. k-means and hierarchical clustering were used to identify clusters of impairments. Optimal number of clusters was assessed. Results were reviewed by experienced clinicians and consensus was reached on proposed subtypes. RESULTS: Physical examination clusters overlapped with each other, and no optimal number of clusters was identified. Clinician consensus suggested 3 possible subtypes: (1) visio-vestibular (horizontal and vertical saccades, smooth pursuits, and vestibulo-ocular reflex), (2) cervicogenic (neck range of motion and spasm), and (3) autonomic/balance (orthostatic intolerance and complex tandem gait). CONCLUSIONS: Although we identified 3 physical examination subtypes, it seemed that physical examination findings alone are not enough to define subtypes that are both statistically supported and clinically relevant, likely because they do not include symptoms, assessment of mood or cognitive problems, or graded exertion testing.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To determine if specific morphological changes in ultrasonographic images of Achilles tendons are associated with the development of pain in distance runners. METHODS: This study is a blinded, retrospective analysis of 276 Achilles tendon ultrasound images, which were used to determine if specific morphologic findings could positively or negatively predict future Achilles tendon pain development in distance runners. Pre-race ultrasound scans were performed on 138 asymptomatic half- and full marathon runners (276 tendons in total) who were followed for 12 months after their races. Specific patterns of morphologic abnormality were identified (location, size, and appearance of ultrasound abnormality within the tendon). Sonographic findings were blindly assessed by a medical student, a resident, and a physician who has significant sonographic imaging experience. These specific abnormalities were then compared to those who later did or did not develop tendon pain. RESULTS: Three findings were found to have significant odds of association with the development of pain: 1) focal deep midsubstance intratendinous hypoechogenicity, 2) focal superficial midsubstance intratendinous hypoechogenicity, and 3) linear hyperechogenicity extending into middle of tendon from calcaneus. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that the aforementioned specific morphologic abnormalities in the Achilles tendon may be associated with the future development of pain symptoms in distance runners in this cohort. Looking for these specific abnormalities may increase the specificity of identifying precursors to Achilles tendon pain development.
ABSTRACT
Background: Mental, motor, and guided imagery techniques are commonly used in sports psychology, but less often in medical education. Utilization of imagery-based techniques (IBTs) in combination with traditional teaching methods may provide a low-cost, innovative approach to improving outcomes in graduate medical education. Objective: The objective was to assess whether medical students demonstrate greater proficiency in the ability to obtain central venous access in simulation trainers following exposure to guided, mental, and motor imagery teaching methods in comparison to traditional methods. Methods: Volunteer fourth-year medical students during their emergency medicine rotation were randomly assigned to two groups, traditional plus imagery teaching or traditional teaching alone. The control group watched a video tutorial on central line placement methods. The study group watched the same video with the addition of imagery components. Participants filled out survey questions before and after the video and again after line placement. Proctors blinded to student group assignments then observed student placement of an internal jugular triple-lumen catheter on a simulation trainer and completed a standardized performance rubric. Results: Sixty medical students participated. Two were excluded for having performed five or more lines either clinically or in a previous simulation. There was no difference in self-perceived competence in line placement prior to watching the video or in the number of lines previously performed between groups. The imagery group (n = 25) averaged 1.3 errors/need for intervention compared to 2.2 errors/need for intervention in the control group (n = 33; p = 0.045, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.02 to 1.61). Time to place the line was similar-8.9 min for the control group versus 8.6 min for the imagery group (p = 0.74, 95% CI -1.39 to 1.95). Conclusions: The use of IBTs may be a promising adjunct to traditional medical teaching of procedures in emergency medicine.
