Effect of Compression Therapy in the Treatment of Tibial Stress Syndrome in Military Service Members.

CONTEXT: Tibial stress syndrome (TSS) is an overuse injury of the lower extremities. There is a high incidence rate of TSS among military recruits. Compression therapy is used to treat a wide array of musculoskeletal injuries. The purpose of this study was to investigate the use of compression therapy as a treatment for TSS in military service members. DESIGN: A parallel randomized study design was utilized. METHODS: Military members diagnosed with TSS were assigned to either a relative rest group or compression garment group. Both groups started the study with 2 weeks of lower extremity rest followed by a graduated running program during the next 6 weeks. The compression garment group additionally wore a shin splints compression wrap during the waking hours of the first 2 weeks and during activity only for the next 6 weeks. Feelings of pain, TSS symptoms, and the ability to run 2 miles pain free were assessed at baseline, 4 weeks, and 8 weeks into the study. RESULTS: Feelings of pain and TSS symptoms decreased during the 8-week study in both groups (P < .05), but these changes were not significantly different between groups (P > .05). The proportion of participants who were able to run 2 miles pain free was significantly different (P < .05) between the 2 groups at the 8-week time point with the compression garment group having a significantly increased ability to complete the run without pain. CONCLUSIONS: Although perceptions of pain at rest were not different between groups, the functional ability of running 2 miles pain free was significantly improved in the compression garment group. These findings suggest that there is a moderate benefit to using compression therapy as an adjunct treatment for TSS, promoting a return to training for military service members.

Fish tissue quality in near-coastal areas of the Gulf of Mexico receiving point source discharges.

The objective of this study was to determine inorganic and organic contaminant concentrations in edible tissue of fish collected from eight coastal areas receiving wastewater discharges and from two reference locations. Trace metal residues were statistically similar regardless of the collection site. Zinc (100% detection in all samples), total mercury (100%), total arsenic (92%), copper (92%), and selenium (88%) were the more commonly detected trace metals. Mercury concentrations exceeded the Florida health-based standard of 0.5 microg/g for limited fish consumption in 30% of the total samples and averaged 0.40 (+/- 1 S.D. = 0.22, range < or = 0.08 to 0.85) microg/g wet weight. The average total PAH concentrations were 1.79 (+/- 1.60) ng/g (reference areas) and 2.17 (+/- 3.29) ng/g (wastewater-impacted areas). Pyrene was detected most frequently (63% of the total samples) and averaged 0.74 (+/- 0.35) ng/g wet wt. The average total PCB concentrations were 4.8 (+/- 7.1) ng/g (reference areas) and 31.6 (+/- 31.3) ng/g (wastewater-impacted areas) Concentrations of dieldrin and cis-chlordane were approximately eight times greater, respectively, in fish collected from wastewater receiving waters, whereas total DDT and total pesticide concentrations were not elevated in the same areas. Concentrations of total PCBs and all chlorinated pesticides were below US health-based standards. The lack of a published reference data base for fish tissue quality in near-coastal areas of the Gulf of Mexico restricts an assessment of the environmental significance of results from this and similar studies investigating the fate of point source contaminants.