Effectiveness of overuse injury prevention programs on upper extremity performance in overhead youth athletes:A systematic review

Several targeted upper extremity injury prevention programs have been developed to mitigate the risk of upper extremity overuse injuries among youth athletes in overhead sports;however,their effectiveness on performance outcome measures has not been investigated.This systematic review evaluated the effectiveness of existing upper extremity injury prevention programs that focused on modifying intrinsic risk factors,and performance outcome measures in overhead youth athletes.The secondary aim was to identify the training components of these programs.PubMed,Physiotherapy Evidence Database(PEDro),SPORTDiscus(via EBSCOhost),and Web of Science were searched from January 2000 to November 2020 for studies that implemented training programs or exercises for upper extremity injury prevention among youth athletes in overhead throwing or striking sports.An updated search was conducted from December 2020 to October 2022.A program was deemed effective for a performance outcome measure if significant improvements were observed in the intervention group as compared to the control group.Of the 1394 studies identified,five studies met the inclusion criteria.The effectiveness of the injury prevention programs on the identified performance outcome measures of strength,mobility,and sport-specific measures were 30.4%,28.6%,and 22.2%,respectively.The training components targeted were strength,mobility,and plyometrics.Strength was the most common training component and was also the most widely investigated performance outcome measure.Overall,current upper extremity injury prevention programs seem effective at improving performance outcome measures of strength,mobility,and sport-specific outcomes with training components of strength,mobility and plyometrics.Standardized protocols are required for the measurement and reporting of performance outcomes measures,and the reporting of training components.

Speed and surface steepness affect internal tibial loading during running

Background:Internal tibial loading is influenced by modifiable factors with implications for the risk of stress injury.Runners encounter varied surface steepness(gradients)when running outdoors and may adapt their speed according to the gradient.This study aimed to quantify tibial bending moments and stress at the anterior and posterior peripheries when running at different speeds on surfaces of different gradients.Methods:Twenty recreational runners ran on a treadmill at 3 different speeds(2.5 m/s,3.0 m/s,and 3.5 m/s)and gradients(level:0%;uphill:+5%,+10%,and+15%;downhill:-5%,-10%,and-15%).Force and marker data were collected synchronously throughout.Bending moments were estimated at the distal third centroid of the tibia about the medial-lateral axis by ensuring static equilibrium at each 1%of stance.Stress was derived from bending moments at the anterior and posterior peripheries by modeling the tibia as a hollow ellipse.Two-way repeated-measures analysis of variance were conducted using both functional and discrete statistical analyses.Results:There were significant main effects for running speed and gradient on peak bending moments and peak anterior and posterior stress.Higher running speeds resulted in greater tibial loading.Running uphill at+10%and+15%resulted in greater tibial loading than level running.Running downhill at-10%and-15%resulted in reduced tibial loading compared to level running.There was no difference between+5%or-5%and level running.Conclusion:Running at faster speeds and uphill on gradients≥+10%increased internal tibial loading,whereas slower running and downhill running on gradients≥-10%reduced internal loading.Adapting running speed according to the gradient could be a protective mechanism,providing runners with a strategy to minimize the risk of tibial stress injuries.

Investigation into the Effects of SORxSOAP in the Job-Related Performance of Deli Meat Slicers over a One-Month Period

Instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization is well researched and widely accepted to improve circulation, decrease pain, improve function, increase strength, and promote overall soft tissue health. However, the administration of this intervention, in most cases, is limited to the brief amounts of time we spend mobilizing our soft tissue. SORxSOAP offers a pragmatic strategy by which one may mobilize their soft tissue while simultaneously showering or washing a specific part of their body. The purpose of this study is to demonstrate the effects SORxSOAP has on functional measures of upper extremity activity in the slicing hands of employees at a corporate deli franchise over the course of a one-month period. 31 employees of a corporate deli franchise were asked to participate in a study involving the use of SORxSOAP. The subjects were assigned to experimental and control groups rough random sampling. Twenty-one subjects in the experimental group were given a one month’s supply of SORxSOAP to use on a regular basis while showering. Ten subjects in the control group were not exposed to any independent variable. The subjects from both groups completed a questionnaire that asked the subjects to rate the level of ease at which specific job-related activities were for them to perform. Hand-strength/grip and range of motion measurements were also taken utilizing a handheld dynamometer and goniometer respectively by one evaluator both before and after a one-month duration of the experimental group’s exposure to SORxSOAP. Independent t-tests were performed to test the difference between pre and post-test values for the control and experimental groups. It was found that SORxSOAP significantly improves wrist flexion range of motion, results in significantly greater improvements in hand-grip strength compared to control, and significantly improves wrist extension range of motion over a one-month period. Improvements in the ease of job-related activities also appear to be correlated to the use of SORxSOAP for items #1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 9. Significant differences were also found between the slicing and non-slicing hands for pre-test wrist extension range of motion measurements, indicating the presence of possible over-use injury in occupations and activities placing excessive demand on certain body regions. This provides isolated evidence that supports the notion that SORxSOAP could be a viable option for preventing the steady decline of wrist extension range of motion and actually promoting and maintaining soft tissue and overall joint health, making it clear how further investigation into the effects of SORxSOAP can not only improve joint and soft tissue health, but prevent the emergence of joint and soft tissue impairment entirely. Clinical Bottom Line: The use of SORxSOAP has the potential to significantly improve muscle and soft tissue performance and function over a period of one month.