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The purpose of this study was to examine the physical activity behaviors and campus recreation use of students enrolled in a summer transition (high school to university) program. The physical activity behaviors and socio-demographic characteristics of summer transition program students from a large Northeastern United States university were collected via an online survey. Descriptive statistics were computed, and disparities between genders were examined using independent samples t-tests. Women participated in less aerobic and muscle-strengthening activity compared to men ( p

BackgroundControversy remains over the most appropriate graft for anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.HypothesisThere is no significant difference in outcomes after 4-strand hamstring and patellar tendon autograft anterior cruciate ligament reconstructions using similar fixation techniques.Study DesignRandomized controlled trial; Level of evidence, 1.MethodsBetween August 2000 and May 2003, 64 Keller Army Hospital patients with complete anterior cruciate ligament tears were randomized to hamstring (n = 32) or patellar tendon (n = 32) autograft anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. Operative graft fixation and rehabilitative techniques were the same for both groups. Follow-up assessments included the Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation score, Lysholm score, International Knee Documentation Committee score, and Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score. Postoperative radiographs were analyzed for tunnel location and orientation.ResultsEleven women and 53 men were randomized. Eighty-three percent of the patients (53 of 64) had follow-up of greater than 2 years, or to the point of graft rupture or removal (average follow-up, 36 months). Four hamstring grafts (12.5%) and three patellar tendon grafts (9.4%) ( P = .71) ruptured. One deep infection in a hamstring graft patient necessitated graft removal. Forty-five of the 56 patients with intact grafts had greater than 2-year follow-up. Patients with patellar tendon grafts had greater Tegner activity scores ( P = .04). Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation scores were 88.5 (95% confidence interval: 83.1, 93.8) and 90.1 (95% confidence interval: 85.2, 96.1) for the hamstring and patellar tendon groups, respectively ( P = .53). Lysholm scores were 90.3 (95% confidence interval: 84.4, 96.1) and 90.4 (95% confidence interval: 84.5, 96.3) for the hamstring and patellar tendon groups, respectively ( P = .97). There were no significant differences in knee laxity, kneeling pain, isokinetic peak torque, International Knee Documentation Committee score, or Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Scores. Postoperative graft rupture correlated with more horizontal tibial tunnel orientation.ConclusionHamstring and patellar tendon autografts provide similar objective, subjective, and functional outcomes when assessed at least 2 years after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.

Background The literature provides little information detailing the incidence of traumatic shoulder instability in young, healthy athletes. Hypothesis Shoulder instability is common in young athletes. Study Design Descriptive epidemiologic study. Methods We prospectively captured all traumatic shoulder instability events at the United States Military Academy between September 1, 2004, and May 31, 2005. Throughout this period, all new traumatic shoulder instability events were evaluated with physical examination, plain radiographs, and magnetic resonance imaging. Instability events were classified according to direction, chronicity, and type (subluxation or dislocation). Subject demographics, mechanism of injury, and sport were evaluated. Results Among 4141 students, 117 experienced new traumatic shoulder instability events during the study period; 11 experienced multiple events. The mean age of these 117 subjects was 20.0 years; 101 students were men (86.3%), and 16 were women (13.7%). The 1-year incidence proportion was 2.8%. The male incidence proportion was 2.9% and the female incidence proportion was 2.5%. Eighteen events were dislocations (15.4%), and 99 were subluxations (84.6%). Of the 99 subluxations, 45 (45.5%) were primary events, while 54 (54.5%) were recurrent. Of the 18 dislocations, 12 (66.7%) were primary events, while 6 (33.3%) were recurrent. The majority of the 117 events were anterior in nature (80.3%), while 12 (10.3%) were posterior, and 11 (9.4%) were multidirectional. Forty-four percent (43.6%) of the instability events experienced were as a result of contact injuries, while 41.0% were a result of noncontact injuries, including 9 subluxations caused by missed punches during boxing; information was unavailable for the remaining 15%. Conclusion Glenohumeral instability is a common injury in this population, with subluxations comprising 85% of instability events.