Prescribing physical activity to prevent and manage gestational diabetes

Gestational diabetes mellitus(GDM)is the most prevalent metabolic disorder during pregnancy.Women diagnosed with GDM have a substantially greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes within 5-10 years after delivery,and the risk is increased by excess body weight.Uncontrolled hyperglycemia during pregnancy is potentially harmful to both mother and fetus,resulting in a greater need for Caesarian-section deliveries,delivery of larger infants with more excess body fat,a greater risk of infant death and stillbirth,and an elevated risk of infant hypoglycemia immediately after birth.Fortunately,engaging in physical activity prior to and during pregnancy may lower the risk of developing GDM.Pregnant women should also be advised how to safely increase their physical activity during pregnancy and the postpartum period.An initial approach to becoming more physically active can simply be to encourage women to incorporate more unstructured physical activity into daily living,both before and during pregnancy.Giving women an appropriate exercise prescription can encourage them to participate in physical activity safely and effectively throughout pregnancy to prevent and/or manage GDM.Engaging in 30 min of moderate intensity physical activity on most,if not all,days of the week has been adopted as a recommendation for all pregnant women.

Baseball pitching kinematics,joint loads,and injury prevention

There is a need for the prevention of upper extremity injuries that affect a large number of competitive baseball players.Currently available evidence alludes to three possible ways to prevent these injuries:1) regulation of unsafe participation factors,2) implementation of exercise intervention to modify suboptimal physical characteristics,and 3) instructional intervention to correct improper pitching techniques.Of these three strategies,instruction of proper pitching technique is under-explored as a method of injury prevention.Therefore,the purpose of this review was to explore the utility of pitching technique instruction in prevention of pitching-related upper extremity injuries by presenting evidence linking pitching technique and pitching-related upper extremity injuries,as well as identifying considerations and potential barriers in pursuing this approach to prevent injuries.Various kinematic parameters measured using laboratory-based motion capture system have been linked to excessive joint loading,and thus pitching-related upper extremity injuries.As we gain more knowledge about the influence of pitching kinematics on joint loading and injury risk,it is important to start exploring ways to modify pitching technique through instruction and feedback while considering the specific skill components to address,mode of instruction,target population,duration of program,and ways to effectively collaborate with coaches and parents.

Concussion management in soccer

Brain injuries in sports drew more and more public attentions in recent years. Brain injuries vary by name, type, and severity in the athletic setting. It should be noted, however, that these injuries are not isolated to only the athletic arena, as non-athletic mechanisms （e.g., motor vehicle accidents） are more common causes of traumatic brain injuries （TBI） among teenagers. Notwithstanding, as many as 1.6 to 3.8 million TBI result from sports and recreation each year in the United States alone. These injuries are extremely costly to the global health care system, and make TBI among the most expensive conditions to treat in children. This article serves to define common brain injuries in sport; describe their prevalence, what happens to the brain following injury, how to recognize and manage these injuries, and what you can expect as the athlete recovers. Some return-to-activity considerations for the brain-injured athlete will also be discussed.