Trends in Nutrition-Related Risk Factors Identified Post-Operatively in Patients Treated for a Lower-Extremity Injury.

This study investigated trends within a custom Sports Nutrition Assessment for Consultation (SNAC) survey designed to identify nutrition-related risk factors among post-operative lower-extremity youth athletes. Athletes aged 8-18 years who completed the SNAC at a sports medicine institution after lower-extremity surgery were reviewed for associations between SNAC questions and age/sex differences. Of 477 patients (15.0 ± 2.0 years; 47.8% female), 319 (66.9%) answered 'yes' to at least one question and were identified for a consult, though 216 (64.3%) declined. The most frequent questions to prompt a consult were a desire to better understand nutrition for recovery (41.5%) and regularly skipping at least one meal a day (29.8%). Inter-question responses were often significantly related, especially regarding appetite changes, weight changes, and/or meal-skipping. While consult acceptance was not significantly different between sex/age, males were more likely to report a desire to better understand nutrition (p = 0.004) and a weight change (p = 0.019), and females were more likely to report struggling with dizziness/fatigue (p < 0.001). Additionally, older athletes reported an appetite change (p = 0.022), meal-skipping (p = 0.002), a desire to better understand nutrition (p < 0.001), a weight change (p < 0.001), and an effort/recommendation to change their body composition/weight (p = 0.005). These findings demonstrate a link between risky nutrition behaviors and physical detriments.

Position comparison of sport-related concussions in female youth soccer players.

OBJECTIVES: Youth soccer participation, particularly among females, continues to grow worldwide. With the high incidence of sport-related concussion (SRC) in soccer, it is important to investigate if SRC occurs disproportionally by positions. Our hypothesis was to see no positional differences in SRCs, SRC-related characteristics, and outcomes among in female youth soccer athletes. METHODS: Data were prospectively collected from participants at a single sports medicine institution between August 2015-April 2021. Female participants aged 8-18 diagnosed with SRC sustained during an organized soccer practice, scrimmage, or game were separated into 4 groups based on position: Forward, Midfielder, Defender, and Goalkeeper. Demographics, medical history, injury-related details, and outcomes were reviewed. A chi-square test or Fisher's exact test was used for categorical variables. Continuous variables were compared with Mann-Whitney or Kruskal-Wallis test. RESULTS: Two hundred fourteen participants were included: 52 Forwards, 65 Midfielders, 63 Defenders, and 34 Goalkeepers. There were no significant differences between the groups in age, race, ethnicity, or previous concussion history. Differences in mechanism existed with Goalkeepers most commonly reporting Head to Body Part. Goalkeepers, which make up 1/11 of the total positions on the field, had a significantly higher proportion of SRCs compared to Field Positions. (9.1% vs 15.9%)At 3-month post-enrollment, there were no significant differences in reported symptoms or return-to-play between the different positions. CONCLUSION: In youth female soccer players, goalkeepers sustained a higher proportion of sport-related concussions compared to field players based upon the composition of a soccer team. The mechanism of injury also differed among the different soccer positions. However, no differences in concussion characteristics, outcomes, or RTP were seen across the different soccer positions.

Point-of-Care Ultrasound (POCUS) for Sideline Youth Sports Coverage.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The purpose of this review is to discuss the use of point-of-care ultrasound for sideline youth sports coverage. RECENT FINDINGS: Participation in youth sports has been increasing, with trends that athletes are specializing earlier and competing at higher levels at younger ages (NSCH 2019, Fabricant 2013). Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) utilizes non-invasive imaging to diagnose and manage various musculoskeletal conditions ranging from traumatic injuries, such as fractures and intramuscular hematomas, to early screening for conditions such as asymptomatic knee lesions. Since it is well-tolerated by children and adolescents and allows for easy accessibility for sideline care, POCUS could provide a strong alternative to other imaging modalities such as x-ray and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as both have their limitations. Youth sideline sports coverage could be enhanced with immediate medical attention from ultrasound-trained medical professionals. On the sidelines of a traumatic injury, POCUS expedites patient care with immediate examination of acute injuries. In low resource and hard-to-reach locations such as a rural youth sporting event, it can be key in the triaging of injuries. As a supplement to a physical exam, the risk of a misdiagnosis is reduced, and a long, expensive trip to the hospital for unnecessary imaging studies may be avoided. Ultrasound is a versatile, non-invasive, radiation-free imaging modality that serves as an accessible option for sideline coverage at youth sporting events. Ultrasound is well-tolerated by children and adolescents. It can be used to evaluate, diagnose, and manage a range of musculoskeletal conditions at the sidelines of youth sports.

Differences in athletic identity, sport participation, and psychosocial factors following anterior cruciate ligament rehabilitation in youth athletes.

Introduction: While youth sports benefits the developing athlete, athletes may also be subject to injury and subsequent return-to-sport protocols. The current return-to-sport criteria emphasize physical measures; however, psychological measures may also be valuable to inform providers of an athlete's readiness. One such measure is athletic identity defined as the degree to which an individual identifies with the athlete role. To better understand athletic identity in return-to-sport, this study aimed to identify relationships and trends between the Athletic Identity Measurement Scale (AIMS), demographic variables, sport participation measures, and the Athletic Coping Skills Inventory-28 (ACSI-28) in youth athletes during rehabilitation following anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR). Methods: A retrospective review was completed of patients who underwent ACLR at a sports medicine clinic between October 2019 and May 2021. Patients responded to a series of patient reported outcomes (PROs) regarding physical and psychological function at a pre-surgical baseline and after 1 year of rehabilitation. Patients were then divided into groups of high/low AIMS and an increased/decreased AIMS between 1 year and baseline for comparison. Independent samples t-tests and ANOVAs were performed as appropriate with a 95% confidence interval. Results: In the final sample, 87 patients (15.3 ± 1.8 years) were included, with 51.7% being females. Total AIMS scores decreased from 50.3 to 47.5 over rehabilitation (p = 0.019). Furthermore, results indicated that nearly all AIMS scores decreased during rehabilitation, with none showing an increase; however, not all domains were significant. Conversely, all sport participation and coping ability PROs increased over time points except for ACSI-Confidence and Achievement Motivation. Generally, those in the groups with high AIMS and an increase in AIMS also had higher scores in physical function and coping ability PROs, with the groups separated by high/low AIMS exhibiting more frequent statistical significance. Discussion: Given these results, it appears that athletes may lose identification with the athlete role after ACLR and struggle even 1 year for rehabilitation, but those who recover athletic identity the best may also be those able to cope most effectively with the stressors induced by injury.