Evaluation of atraumatic hip instability measured by triaxial accelerometry during walking.

Hip joint instability has been targeted as an important issue that affects normal hip function. The diagnosis of hip instability could be very challenging and currently, there is no definitive diagnostic test. Hip instability results in an excessive amount of translation of femoroacetabular articulation, leading to changes on the dynamic loading of the hip. These changes in femoroacetabular translation could be evaluated by human movement analysis methods. The purpose of this study was to describe the triaxial and overall magnitude of acceleration in patients diagnosed with hip instability during gait cycle and compare those results with a control group. Our hypothesis was that acceleration values obtained from the instability group would be higher than asymptomatic controls. Ten patients with previously diagnosed hip instability were included and 10 healthy and asymptomatic subjects were enrolled as control group. Triaxial accelerometers attached bilaterally to the skin over the greater trochanter were used to record acceleration during walking on a treadmill. The overall magnitude of acceleration and the axial, anteroposterior and mediolateral accelerations (x/y/z) were obtained during gait. Mean overall magnitude of acceleration was higher in the hip instability group compared with the control group, 1.51 g (SD: 0.23) versus 1.07 g (SD: 0.16) (P = 0.022). The axial, anteroposterior and mediolateral accelerations significantly differed between the two groups. The axial and mediolateral accelerations showed to be higher for the hip instability group while the anteroposterior axis acceleration was lower.

Intra-articular administration of peripheral blood stem cells with platelet-rich plasma regenerated articular cartilage and improved clinical outcomes for knee chondral lesions.

PURPOSE: To determine whether intra-articular injections of peripheral blood stem cells improved the regeneration of articular cartilage in patients with osteochondral knee injuries. METHODS: This prospective study included 20 patients with grade 3b knee osteochondral lesions who underwent knee arthroscopies. All were white, and all had performed physical activity at least five times a week. International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) and visual analog scale scores were recorded before surgery, six months and one year after surgery, and then yearly until five years after surgery. Magnetic resonance imaging scans were obtained six months preoperatively and then yearly and were evaluated by musculoskeletal radiologists blinded to the patient data. Tissue repair was quantified using the International Cartilage Repair Society morphologic score system. Unpaired t-tests were used for comparisons between the time points. RESULTS: The mean preoperative IKDC score was 50.5 (42-61). At the six-month follow-up, the mean values were 60.79 (P = 0.32) and 90.97. At the six-month follow-up, the mean values were 70.8 (P = 0.043). At the end of the five-year follow-up, the IKDC was 82.2 (P = 0.024). At five-year follow-up, the visual analog scale score was 1.1 (P = 0.0018). The main morphologic score system score was 3.2 preoperatively and 9.7 ±â€¯1.6 at five-year follow-up (P = 0.0021). No infection, tumors, or synovitis were reported at the end of the follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Intra-articular peripheral blood stem cells with platelet-rich plasma regenerated articular cartilage and improved clinical outcomes for knee chondral lesions at five years of follow-up.

Patellar Tendon Stiffness in Elite Breakdancers Assessed by Myotonometric Measurement.

Studies that have investigated the epidemiology of injuries in breakdancing have concluded that the second most common injury site is the knee and that the majority of breakdancers have experienced overuse syndrome. Tendon stiffness, the relationship between force applied to a tendon and the resulting displacement, has been identified as a primary mechanical factor in such injuries. However, patellar tendon stiffness has not yet been evaluated in elite breakdancers. Hence, the purpose of this study was to determine mean patellar tendon stiffness in this population by using myotonometric measurements and to compare those results with healthy control subjects. Twenty-five elite male breakdancers and 25 male control subjects were included in the study. A Myoton Pro device was used to assess their tendon stiffness. The mean patellar tendon stiffness of the breakdancers was 1,045 ± 202 Nm and 1,084 ± 193 Nm for the dominant and non-dominant limb, respectively; for the control group it was 902 ± 166 Nm and 862 ± 159 Nm for the dominant and non-dominant limb, respectively. Statistical analyses showed higher stiffness values for breakdancers compared to controls for both limbs. This is consistent with studies reporting patellar tendon adaptation after training.