The American journal of sports medicine
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Ankle sprains are a common injury in collegiate sports. Few studies have examined the epidemiology of individual ligament injuries, specifically the lateral ligament complex (LLC) of the ankle. ⋯ LLC sprains were the most commonly reported injury diagnosis among United States collegiate student-athletes. Continued examination of interventions that aim to reduce the incidence, severity, and recurrence of LLC sprains, specifically in women, is warranted.
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Thumb collateral ligament injuries occur frequently in the National Football League (NFL). In the general population or in recreational athletes, pure metacarpophalangeal (MCP) abduction or adduction mechanisms yield isolated ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) and radial collateral ligament (RCL) tears, respectively, while NFL athletes may sustain combined mechanism injury patterns. ⋯ Simultaneous combined thumb UCL and RCL tear is a previously undescribed injury pattern that occurred in 25% of thumb MCP collateral ligament injuries on a single NFL team over a 23-year period. All players with combined thumb UCL/RCL injuries required surgical repair, which was significantly higher compared with players with isolated UCL injuries. Team physicians and hand surgeons treating elite football players with suspected thumb collateral ligament injuries should examine for RCL and UCL instability and consider MRI if any concern exists for a combined ligament injury pattern, as this injury is likely frequently missed.
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Few studies have reported the return-to-sport rate at 1-year follow-up after primary and revision anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. ⋯ At 1-year follow-up, there was no significant difference in the return-to-sport rate between primary and revision ACL reconstruction. Patients who underwent primary reconstruction returned to their usual sport significantly more often.
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Shoulder disorders are common in football players, with up to 50% of National Football League (NFL) recruits reporting a history of shoulder injuries. Superior labrum anterior-posterior (SLAP) tears are an entity with well-described detrimental effects on return to play in overhead-throwing athletes but with minimal data in contact athletes. ⋯ In this comprehensive analysis of SLAP tears in elite football players, it is clear that these injuries have the potential to cause significant detriment to an athlete's career.
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Tendinopathy is very common in the general population. There are increasing numbers of clinical studies referring to platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and platelet-poor plasma (PPP) as treatments for tendinopathy. ⋯ There is good evidence to support the use of a single injection of LR-PRP under ultrasound guidance in tendinopathy. Both the preparation and intratendinous injection technique of PRP appear to be of great clinical significance.