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Zusammenfassung Hintergrund Eingangsuntersuchungen sind wichtig, um Aussagen über die Gesundheit treffen zu können. Diese Untersuchungen beinhalten etablierte internistisch-kardiologische Testverfahren sowie eine orthopädische Beurteilung des Bewegungsapparats. In den großen Mannschaftsportarten ist die Lizensierung der Spieler eng an die medizinischen Eingangsuntersuchungen geknüpft. Die vorgeschriebenen Eingangsuntersuchungen bilden jedoch lediglich den aktuellen Gesundheitszustand ab und lassen nur indirekte Aussagen über die Funktions- und Leistungsfähigkeit des Athleten zu. Somit wurde in den letzten Jahren versucht, diese Lücke durch eine Erweiterung in Richtung sportartspezifische Leistungsdiagnostik zu schließen. Sollte sich der Athlet verletzen, können die erhobenen Baseline-Werte als Maßstab genutzt werden, um das Monitoring des Sportlers im Rehabilitationsprozess zu unterstützen und einen sicheren Übergang zurück zum Wettkampf zu begleiten. Dies ist ein entscheidender Vorteil in der Return-to-Play-Diagnostik. Material und Methoden Aufgrund der Annahme, dass nur ein gesunder Spieler seine volle Leistungsfähigkeit abrufen kann, wurde von der Saison 2012/2013 für 5 aufeinanderfolgende Spielzeiten im Rahmen der medizinischen Eingangsuntersuchungen zusätzlich die Basketball-spezifische, konditionelle Leistungsfähigkeit der Spieler eines Basketball-Bundesligisten überprüft. Diese Werte wurden prospektiv mit den stattgehabten Verletzungen korreliert. Ergebnisse Insgesamt wurden 71 Spieler in jeweils 5 verschiedenen Kategorien (u. a. Sprungkraft, Agilität, Sprintfähigkeit) getestet. Im Untersuchungszeitraum ereigneten sich 142 Verletzungen, die im Mittel zu einer Ausfallzeit von 23 Tagen (Range 1–347 Tage) führten. Die Verletzungen betrafen zumeist die untere Extremität, wobei Sprunggelenk, Oberschenkel und Kniegelenk am häufigsten betroffen waren. Es zeigte sich ein deutlicher Trend dahingehend, dass Spieler mit einer schwächer ausgeprägten Richtungsänderungsschnelligkeit häufiger Verletzungen erlitten (r = 0,34; p = 0,029) und Spieler, die im YoYo-Test signifikant schlechter abschnitten, häufiger von Oberschenkelverletzungen betroffen waren (r = 0,266; p = 0,012). Schlussfolgerung Als Instrument zur Prävention sind medizinische Eingangsuntersuchungen nicht nur im Profisport essenziell, um Sportverletzungen oder Sportschäden aufzeigen bzw. ausschließen zu können. Die Erweiterung in Richtung sportartspezifische Leistungsdiagnostik liefert Informationen über Defizite bezogen auf Agilität und Ausdauer, die die Entstehung einer Verletzung begünstigen können. Darüber hinaus bieten die Untersuchungen auch die Möglichkeit, die erhobenen Werte als Baseline zu nutzen, die im Falle einer Verletzung den Fortschritt der Rehabilitation objektiv erfassbar machen und eine sichere Rückkehr zum Wettkampf ermöglichen.

Purpose To identify football-specific factors associated with ACL injuries that can be targeted for sport-specific injury prevention. Methods A study-specific questionnaire was developed to study the characteristics of ACL injuries in football including intrinsic, extrinsic, and injury specific factors. The questionnaire was available at the Swedish national knee ligament registry’s website for the football players to voluntarily fill out. Data are presented on group level for all football players in total and for females and males separate to examine gender-specific differences. The results are based on answers collected over a 3-year period from 2875 football players, 1762 (61%) males and 1113 (39%) females. Results ACL were more frequently sustained during games 66% than during practices 25%. The injury mechanism was non-contact in 59% and contact in 41%. For the contact injuries during games, no action was taken by the referee in 63% of the situation and a red card was shown in 0.5%. The risk of ACL injury was highest early in the football game with 47% sustained during the first 30 min and 24% in the first 15 min. Players changing to a higher level of play 15% had a higher rate of ACL injuries than players changing to a lower level 8%. This difference was especially seen in female football players with 20% of ACL injuries being sustained by players going to a higher division compared to 7% for those going to a lower division. 15% of the male and 21% of the female ACL injuries occurred in teams with a coach change during the season. Knee control exercises to warm up was used by 31% of the female players and 16% of the males. 40% of the players reported that they did not plan on returning to football. Conclusion Neuromuscular training programs have proven to reduce ACL injuries, but greater adherence to these remains a challenge as only 1 in 5 of the ACL-injured football players report using them. Teams changing coach and players going to a higher division appear to have an increased risk of ACL injury warranting attention and further investigations. Level of evidence IV.

Zusammenfassung Sporttauglichkeitsuntersuchungen sollen es ermoglichen, Aussagen uber die Gesundheit des Sporttreibenden zu treffen. Sie sind zumeist in einen internistisch-kardiologischen Teil und einen orthopadischen Teil zur Beurteilung des Bewegungsapparates untergliedert. Im Profisport ist die Lizensierung der Spieler an die Durchfuhrung der medizinischen Eingangsuntersuchungen gebunden. In den letzten Jahren wurden die Untersuchungen zum Teil in Richtung sportart-spezifische Leistungsdiagnostik erweitert. Diese bieten im Verletzungsfall den Vorteil, dass die erhobenen Baseline Werte als Masstab genutzt werden konnen, um die Uberwachung des Sportlers im Rehabilitationsprozess zu unterstutzen und einen sicheren Ubergang zuruck zum Wettkampf zu begleiten. Die Verwaltungsberufsgenossenschaft (VBG) hat unter Mitwirkung der Handballarzte Deutschland e.V. und der Deutsche Basketballarzte e.V. (Basketdocs) fur den Profisportbereich und den (Nachwuchs-)Leistungssport im Handball und Basketball ein abgestuftes Konzept entworfen, um die flachendeckenden Untersuchungen gerade auch im Jugend- und Nachwuchsbereich zu implementieren. Medizinische Eingangsuntersuchungen sollen es ermoglichen, Gesundheits- und Sportschaden aufzuzeigen, die einer verletzungsfreien Karriere im Weg stehen. Im Jugendbereich bilden sie daruber hinaus den aktuellen Leistungsstand des Sportlers mit Blick auf seine Anschlussfahigkeit fur den Profisportbereich ab.

Background:With the increased training loads at very early ages in European elite youth soccer, there is an interest to analyse coronary artery remodelling due to high-intensity exercise.Design and methods:Prospective echocardiographic study in 259 adolescent elite male soccer players and 48 matched controls.Results:The mean age was 12.7 ± 0.63 years in soccer players and 12.6 ± 0.7 years in controls (p > 0.05). Soccer players had significant greater indexed left ventricular mass (93 ± 13 g/m2 versus 79 ± 12 g/m2, p = 0.001). Both coronary arteries origin could be identified in every participant. In soccer players, the mean diameter of the left main coronary artery was 3.67 mm (SD ± 0.59) and 2.61 mm (SD ± 0.48) for right main coronary artery. Controls showed smaller mean luminal diameter (left main coronary artery, p = 0.01; right main coronary artery, p = 0.025). In soccer players, a total of 91% (n = 196) and in controls a total of 94% (n = 45) showed left main coronary artery z scores within the normal range: −2.0 to 2.0. In right main coronary artery, a pattern of z score values distribution was comparable (soccer players 94%, n = 202 vs. controls 84%, n = 40). A subgroup of soccer players had supernormal z score values (>2.0 to 2.5) for left main coronary artery (9%, n = 19, p = 0.01) and right main coronary artery (6%, n = 10, p = 0.025), respectively.Conclusion:Elite soccer training in early adolescence may be a stimulus strong enough to develop increased coronary arteries diameters. In soccer players, a coronary artery z score >2.0–2.5 might reflect a physiologic response induced by multiannual high-intensity training.

ObjectivesTo evaluate the restart of the German Bundesliga (football (soccer)) during the COVID-19 pandemic from a medical perspective.MethodsParticipants were male professional football players from the two highest German leagues and the officials working closely with them. Our report covers nine match days spread over 9 weeks (May to July 2020). Daily symptom monitoring, PCR testing for SARS-CoV-2 RNA twice weekly, and antibody tests (on two occasions—early during the phase in May 2020 and in the week of the last match) were conducted. Target variables were: (1) onset of typical COVID-19 symptoms, (2) positive PCR results, and (3) IgG seroconversion against SARS-CoV-2. All detected seroconversions were controlled by neutralisation tests.FindingsSuspicious symptoms were reported for one player; an immediate additional PCR test as well as all subsequent diagnostic and antibody tests proved negative for coronavirus. Of 1702 regularly tested individuals (1079 players, 623 officials members), 8 players and 4 officials tested positive during one of the first rounds of PCR testing prior to the onset of team training, 2 players during the third round. No further positive results occurred during the remainder of the season. 694 players and 291 officials provided two serum samples for antibody testing. Nine players converted from negative/borderline to positive (without symptoms); two players who initially tested positive tested negative at the end of the season. 22 players remained seropositive throughout the season. None of the seroconversions was confirmed in the neutralisation test.ConclusionProfessional football training and matches can be carried out safely during the COVID-19 pandemic. This requires strict hygiene measures including regular PCR testing.

Recent studies showed contrasting findings in morphological changes due to competitive soccer in adolescent players (SP). We present a prospective study in 315 consecutive adolescent (10–14 years) male elite SP and 53 healthy matched active controls (CON). All participants underwent a complete transthoracic two-dimensional echocardiography (TTE). The mean age in SP was 12.8 ± 0.65 years compared to 12.6 ± 0.8 years in CON. For all left ventricular (LV) dimensions, mean Z-score values were higher in SP. There was a significant Z-score increase in interventricular septum diastolic diameter (2.47z vs. 1.62z, p p p 2 vs. 81 ± 13 g/m2, p Conclusion: Our findings suggest that elite soccer training in adolescent male is a type of sport predominantly related to cardiac resistance remodeling. Adolescent SP may develop supernormal left ventricular wall dimensions (+ 2.0 to + 2.5z). If in SP Z-scores, any LV dimension above + 2.5 is measured, primary or secondary cardiomyopathies should be excluded. What is Known:• Morphological cardiac adaptation in response to exercise depends on the type, duration, and intensity of training.• Morphological and functional changes due to competitive sports (athlete’s heart) occur even in pre-adolescent athletes. What is New:• Our findings point out that German elite soccer training in adolescent male (10–14 years of age) is a type of sport predominantly related to cardiac resistance remodeling.• If in an adolescent competitive soccer player any LV dimension Z-score value above + 2.5 is measured, a primary or secondary cardiomyopathy should be excluded.

Praventionsmasnahmen sollten Grundlage einer jeden Saisonvorbereitung im Leistungsfusball sein. Speziell Kniegelenkverletzungen mit ihren moglichen schwerwiegenden Folgen fur die Spieler und die fehlende Verfugbarkeit fur den Verein stellen dabei ein wichtiges Ziel fur Praventionsmasnahmen dar. Die wissenschaftliche Analyse von 8 unterschiedlichen Praventionsmasnahmen im Fusball sowie deren Bewertung bezuglich Evidenz und Praktikabilitat im Verein werden in diesem Studienprojekt erstmals analysiert. Die Einfuhrung von Praventionsubungen im Training, die kritische Analyse und Bewertung der eigenen bisherigen Masnahmen und ein regelmasiges Verletzungsmonitoring sind dabei die wichtigsten empfohlenen Masnahmen.

AimWe aimed to identify patterns and mechanisms of injury situations in men’s professional handball by means of video match analysis.MethodsModerate and severe injuries (absence of >7 days) sustained in competition in one of six seasons (2010 to 2013 and 2014 to 2017) in men’s professional handball were prospectively analysed with a newly developed standardised observation form. Season 2013 to 2014 was excluded because of missing video material.Results580 injuries were identified: 298 (51.4%) contact injuries, 151 (26.0%) indirect contact injuries and 131 (22.6%) non-contact injuries. Head (87.5%), hand (83.8%), shoulder (70.2%) and ankle (62.9%) injuries were mainly sustained during direct contact. Typical contact injuries included collision with an opponent’s upper extremity or torso, and ankle injuries mainly consisted of foot-to-foot collisions. A large proportion (41.7%) of knee injuries were caused by indirect contact, whereas thigh injuries mainly occurred (56.4%) through non-contact mechanism. Wing (56.9%) and pivot (58.4%) players had the highest proportion of contact injuries, whereas backcourt players had a high proportion of indirect contact injuries (31.5%) and goalkeepers of non-contact injuries (48.9%). The injury proportion of foul play was 28.4%. Most injuries occurred in the central zone between the 6-metre and 9-metre lines (26.1%) and during the last 10 min of each match half (OR 1.71, p=0.016).ConclusionsIn men’s professional handball in a league setting, contact — but not foul play — was the most common mechanism associated with moderate and severe injuries. Head, hand, shoulder and ankle injury were mainly sustained during direct contact.

Context Isokinetic testing is used as a standard tool in measuring strength in professional athletes. It is often used to evaluate improvement during rehabilitation. The disadvantages of isokinetic testing include its costs, the fact that it is not portable, and its risk of injury, which makes it not suitable for early postoperative rehabilitation. Hypothesis The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between the results of the isokinetic testing and the measurements of an application-based knee-training device. Study design Exploratory diagnostic study. Methods In this monocentric study, 100 subjects performed an isokinetic maximum strength examination and an assessment on the application-based knee-training device in a randomized order. The isokinetic testing was based on the Swiss Olympic protocol with 3 sets of 5 repetitions of maximum strength testing for flexion and extension. The subjects consisted of 50 healthy professional athletes and 50 healthy recreational athletes, half male and half female, between the ages of 18 to 30 years old. Results No medical or technical issues were reported. The analysis of the relationship between application-based knee-training device and extension showed a Pearson correlation coefficient of r=0.667 for the left knee and r=0.604 for the right knee. For flexion, the Pearson correlation coefficient was r=0.640 for the left side and r=0.673 for the right side. When strength measured by the application-based knee-training device was adjusted for height and weight of the subjects, the Pearson correlation was even stronger (extension left: r=0.727, right: r=0.689; flexion left: r=0.641, right: r=0.711). Conclusion The study shows a moderate to high correlation between isokinetic testing and the application-based knee-training device. These results suggest that the application-based knee-training device is effective for early strength rehabilitation without the risk of injury.

This study aimed to investigate exposure adjusted injury incidence rates and profiles associated with training and competition in an elite taekwondo athlete population. 82 athletes were investigated for injuries over a period of 5 years. Individual fight time exposure for training and competition was recorded. The type and location of the injuries were classified and exposure-adjusted injury incidence rates (IIR) were calculated per 1000 h for training and competition. 66 athletes with a mean age of 19.3±4.2 years and 172 injuries were included in the final data assessment. The exposure adjusted IIR was significantly higher during competition (p

Ruptures of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) typically occur in professional football and epidemiological data about longitudinal injury development is needed. This practice-driven investigation of media-derived ACL data provides information about professional football over 10 years. Injury registration was based on "kicker" sports magazine information that have been recorded over one decade in a standardized manner. Only ACL ruptures in the first German football league were included when they could be verified by a second reliable source. Level of evidence: III. Fifty-seven primary ACL ruptures were verified in the first German football league during the seasons 2007/2008 to 2016/2017. Among them, six re-injuries were found. Mean age at the time of injury was 24.8 years (SD 3.8). 31% (

Amateur small-field football tournaments are rather common worldwide. Adequate preparation is essential for injury prevention. The consequences of insufficient injury preparation at this level are still unclear. This study investigates the factors influencing injuries in this football population. In 2017, medical students participating in a national amateur football tournament were analysed in a prospective cohort study. Injury incidence, injury pattern and factors influencing injuries were investigated according to the statement on data collection and injury definition of Fuller et al. (Br J Sports Med 40:193–201, 2006). Preparation for the tournament was assessed for both sexes by means of hours of sleep, alcohol consumption, training level and warm-up performance. Level of evidence: II. Of 694 amateur football players (423 men and 271 women) with a mean age of 23 years (SD 2.5), 321 (21.1%) injuries happened during the tournament. 60% of injuries affected the lower extremity. The most common types of traumatic injury were skin abrasions (40.0%) and muscle strains (23.3%). The injury incidence of male players during match exposure was 469 per 1000 h football and significantly higher than in female players 313 (p = 0.025). One potential reason for the higher injury rate of male players as measure for inadequate preparation was significantly higher alcohol consumption the evening before the tournament (p

Long-term damage in the hip, knee and ankle joints of football players has been thoroughly discussed in the literature. Compared with outfield players, however, goalkeepers sustain injuries to the upper extremities five times more often. There is a lack of studies on long-term functional damage to the wrist and finger joints of football goalkeepers. Repetitive micro-traumas and injuries lead to degenerative diseases in goalkeepers after 20 years of playing recreational soccer. The personal histories, injury histories and clinical examination findings of the wrist and finger joints of 27 goalkeepers were compared with the findings obtained in a control group of outfield players. Goalkeepers were significantly more restricted in finger movement (p 0.05) and experienced more pain and swelling (p 0.05) as well as higher levels of instability (p 0.05) in the wrist and finger joints than outfield players. Medical history and clinical findings indicate deficits in the hands of soccer goalkeepers and a high prevalence of joint and ligament injuries sustained to the fingers over the course of their sports activity. This necessitates specific strategies in the future to prevent injuries and long-term posttraumatic deficits. Folgeschäden an den Hüft-, Knie- und oberen Sprunggelenken von Fußballspielern wurden in der Literatur bereits eingehend untersucht. Im Gegensatz zum Feldspieler ist beim Torwart die obere Extremität 5-fach häufiger von Verletzungen betroffen. Klinische Studien zu Langzeitfolgeschäden auf die Finger- und Handgelenke im Rahmen der Torwarttätigkeit wurden bislang noch nicht publiziert. Repetitive Mikrotraumata und Verletzungen führen beim Amateurtorwart nach mehr als 20 Jahren aktiven Sports zu posttraumatischen und degenerativen Veränderungen. 27 Fußballtorhüter mit über 20 Jahren Torwarttätigkeit im Amateurbereich wurden anamnestisch und klinisch auf Folgeschäden an den Hand- und Fingergelenken untersucht. Die Ergebnisse wurden mit denen einer Gruppe von 27 Feldspielern verglichen. Die Torwartgruppe zeigte im Vergleich zur Kontrollgruppe signifikant häufiger Beeinträchtigungen wie Schmerzen, Instabilitätsgefühle, Bewegungseinschränkungen und Blockierungen an den Finger- und Handgelenken (p 0,05*). Bei der klinischen Untersuchung zeigten sich signifikant häufiger Schwellungen, Achsfehlstellungen, Druckschmerz, Seitenbandinstabilitäten und ein pathologisches Gelenkspiel an den Hand- und Fingergelenken (p 0,05*). 20 Jahre Torwarttätigkeit zeigte bei Amateurspielern anamnestische und klinische Zeichen posttraumatischer und degenerativer Veränderungen und Einschränkungen an den Hand- und Fingergelenken. Weitere Studien zur Korrelation mit radiologischen Daten sind erforderlich.

Die Kniegelenkluxation mit Beteiligung mehrerer Ligamente ist eine seltene, aber sehr komplexe Verletzung, die mit kurz- und langfristigen Komplikationen einhergehen kann. Ziel der operativen Therapie ist es, die verletzten Strukturen anatomisch so zu rekonstruieren, dass eine fruhe postoperative Mobilisation eingeleitet werden kann. In diesem Beitrag wird der Fall eines 45-jahrigen Patienten beschrieben, der infolge eines Unfalls eine drittgradig offene Kniegelenkluxation erlitten hatte, die durch Rekonstruktion mittels „ligament bracing“ erfolgreich behandelt werden konnte. Hierbei ist die genaue Kenntnis der anatomischen Grundlagen sowie der isometrischen Insertionen und Biomechanik des Kniebandapparats essenziell. Die exakte Reposition der Rekonstruktion kann unter Bildwandlerkontrolle erfolgen. Wichtig ist eine moglichst zugige Mobilisation des Patienten, um spatere Bewegungseinschrankungen zu vermeiden.

Introduction The coronavirus lockdown in 2020 resulted in a worldwide suspension of professional sports. The first major professional football league to restart after the lockdown was the German Bundesliga. This study investigates whether the injury incidence increased after the restart of the season with only 9 days of regular preparation time and without any friendly matches in comparison to three control periods. Materials and methods In a prospective cohort study, injury analysis (at least 1 day of absence from official football matches or training sessions) of the German Bundesliga registry was standardised according to Hägglund et al. (Br J Sports Med 39:340–346, 2005) and Fuller et al. (Clin J Sports Med 16:97–106, 2006) for data collection and to previous publications for the validated use of media sources for injury registration. The study period after the lockdown in May and June of the 2019–2020 season was compared to three control periods: the period directly before the lockdown, the beginning of the 2019–2020 season and the 2018–2019 season final. Results The nine match days after the restart of the 2019–2020 season showed an overall injury incidence of 4.9 per 1000 h football. This rate was significantly lower than that of the previous season final (9 last match days, overall injury incidence: 6.9 per 1000 h football; p p > 0.05) or the winter break (8 match days; incidence: 5.6/1000 h, p > 0.05). Conclusion The period after the unexpected break in the 2019–2020 season due to the coronavirus lockdown and the rapid return to competition showed no increase in the injury rate compared to the pre-lockdown period and a lower injury rate than in the previous season final. The unintentional mid-season rest with its potential for physical recovery and individual fitness training seems to have had a positive effect on injury occurrence.

Objectives Elite professional football players and staff are a unique group that might give insight into the epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2 infections in Germany and thus can serve as a model for a geographical distribution and an estimation of undetected infections. Methods In this prospective cohort study seroprevalence was determined twice in May and June 2020 in players and staff from German Bundesliga. As screening assays a commercial ELISA (Euroimmun) and a CLIA (Roche) was used and an in-house neutralisation assay (NT) as gold standard. Participants were tested twice weekly using PCR from nasopharyngeal and/or oropharyngeal swabs. Results Seroprevalence (NT used as confirmation) in 2,164 samples from 1,184 players and staff was rather similar in May (23/1157 (1.99%)) and in June (21/1007 (2.09%)). All participants were PCR negative during the study period. Significant regional differences in seroprevalence were not observed. When comparing seroprevalence with the cumulative incidence of infections derived from the German notification system (subgroup matching to cohort; men, age: 20-69), IgG was found 8-10 times more frequently, pointing to a high rate of undetected infections. ELISA and CLIA correlated only moderately (Kappa 0.52). Conclusions Seroprevalence with high quality diagnostic in Germany seemed to be around 2%. The number of undetected infections seems to be 8-10 times higher than notification data. Quality of antibody assays is rather variable, thus results should ideally be confirmed at least by a second assay to prove IgG positivity., Graphical abstract Image 1

Background Anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction surgery is one of the most common orthopedic procedures. One of the main factors that influence the outcome is regaining strength in the postoperative phase. Because anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction surgeries are often performed in young patients, we combined the concept of prehabilitation with an app-based serious gaming approach to improve maximal strength postoperatively. Objective Our objective was to conduct a prospective randomized trial to evaluate whether an app-based active muscle training program (GenuSport Knee Trainer) can improve postoperative strength by starting rehabilitation immediately after primary anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction surgery. Methods We designed a pilot study in which we randomly assigned patients receiving primary anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction to either the serious gaming training (intervention) group or a conventional rehabilitation (control) group. Except for the serious gaming-based training, both groups followed the same postoperative treatment protocol. Outcome parameters were absolute and relative change in maximal strength, as well as the International Knee Documentation Committee Subjective Knee evaluation form, Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score, and Lysholm Knee Score. Results In total 26 patients agreed to participate (14 patients in the intervention group and 12 patients in the control group, 1 of whom was lost to follow-up). We noted a difference in absolute maximum strength between the exergaming intervention and the control groups. Mean maximum strength preoperatively was 155.1 (SD 79.2) N in the intervention group (n=14) and 157.0 (SD 40.8) N in the control group (n=11). Postoperative mean maximum strength was 212.8 (SD 78.5) N in the intervention group and 154.5 (SD 27.1) N in the control group. Mean absolute change in maximum strength was 57.7 (SD 95.2) N in the intervention group and –4.8 (22.2) N in the control group. The analysis of covariance model with absolute change as the dependent variable and treatment group and baseline maximum strength as covariates showed a relevant difference in relative change between treatment groups (intervention – control) of 59.7 N (95% CI 10.1-109.3; P=.02). Similarly to the absolute increase, the relative change in maximum strength was relevantly higher in the exergaming group. The mean relative change in maximum strength was 1.7 (SD 1.17) in the intervention group and 1 (SD 0.13) in the control group. No adverse events or problems were reported during the study period. Conclusions Implementation of an app-based active muscle training program in the early postoperative therapy scheme was associated with an improvement in maximal strength. Therefore, we considered the use of GenuSport training after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction to be a helpful complement to rehabilitation after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction surgery to improve strength in the early postoperative phase. To our knowledge this was the first study to analyze immediate postoperative serious gaming-based training with the GenuSport device based on strength improvement.

Injuries are a common occurrence in football. Sufficient epidemiological data are available in professional football but not in salaried semi-professional football. This study investigates the injury incidence at different levels of semi-professional football with focus on junior football. The data were based on injury reports provided by players and medical staff over the 2015–2016 season, which corresponded to the consensus statement for data samples in football. This study investigated the injury incidence and prevalence of five skill levels of semi-professional football (the fourth to the seventh league and elite junior football). 1130 players had sustained 2630 injuries over the 2015–2016 season. The overall injury incidence was 9.7 per 1000 h football exposure; prevalence with at least one injury was 79%. The highest overall injury incidence in elite junior football was 10.4 in 1000 h football exposure. The fifth league had the lowest incidence with 9.0 in 1000 h football (p

Die wissenschaftliche Literatur bietet viele Publikationen uber die Behandlung und das Return-to-play von schweren Verletzungen im Fusball, speziell bei Verletzungen mit Operationsbedarf. Uber die Behandlung leichter Verletzungen wie Muskelzerrungen, Sprunggelenkdistorsionen oder Prellungen gibt es wenige Literaturberichte, und oft besteht ein niedriges Evidenzlevel, obwohl diese die haufigsten Verletzungstypen darstellen. Auch Leitlinien zu Behandlung und Return-to-play bei kleineren Verletzungen fehlen grostenteils. Insofern hangen die Zeit der Fusballpause und das Timing des Return-to-play nach leichten Verletzungen von der Erfahrung und den Fertigkeiten des verantwortlichen medizinischen Teams ab. Um ein Stay & play auf dem Spielfeld nach leichten Verletzungen zu erreichen, benotigt das medizinische Team ein breites Wissen und Erfahrung in der interdisziplinaren Fusballmedizin. Dies umfasst Kenntnisse zu Praventionsstrategien, Akutmanagement am Spielfeldrand, klinischer und manueller Diagnostik, Geweberegeneration, symptomatischer und konservativer Therapie sowie Return-to-play-Entscheidungen. Stay & play-Strategien unterliegen auf praktischer und wissenschaftlicher Ebene keinem klaren Konsens bei Verletzungsdefinitionen, dem Portfolio an Diagnostik- und Therapiemoglichkeiten sowie den Stay & play-Kriterien. Dieser Beitrag prasentiert daher erste Schritte einer Bewertung von Stay & play-Strategien nach leichten Verletzungen, um zukunftig den praktischen Alltag, die Ausbildung und die wissenschaftliche Forschung in diesem Bereich zu vereinheitlichen und zu verbessern.

Scientific injury data in men’s professional team handball injuries are rare and even less scientific information exists on injury prevention. In 2011, Germany’s national second team handball league was restructured by merging the existing two regional leagues into one league. This study evaluates the injury patterns in professional team handball and compares the injury rates between the first and second league before and after the restructure. All players of Germany’s national first and second men’s team handball leagues have mandatory trauma insurance with the same insurance company. This retrospective cohort study analysed the injury data of three consecutive seasons 2010–2013 using standardized injury definitions. 1194 professional team handball players were included in this study. The majority of severe injuries affected the lower extremities, shoulders, and hands. The average injury incidence significantly differed between the first (4.9 injuries per 1000 h) and the second league (3.9 per 1000 h, p

There is rising impact of patient-reported outcome (PRO) measurement in joint arthroplasty over the past years. Bicruciate-retaining implants have shown more physiologic knee kinematics and provide superior proprioceptive capacities. The aim of this study was to evaluate if the functional properties of this new implant design lead to improved PRO results after total knee arthroplasty (TKA). This prospective, controlled trial compares PRO of bicruciate-retaining total knee arthroplasty (BCR-TKA) to unicondylar knee arthroplasty (UKA) and standard posterior-stabilized total knee arthroplasty (PS-TKA). We evaluated 102 patients (34 patients in each group) 18 months postoperatively after knee arthroplasty. Primary outcome measure was the Forgotten Joint Score (FJS). The BCR-group showed the same level of joint awareness as the UKA-group (p = 0.999). The second control group of PS-TKA patients had a lower mean score value in the FJS compared to the BCR-group (p = 0.035) and UKA-group (p = 0.031). There was no correlation of age, gender, body mass index (BMI) and the FJS. No relevant floor- or ceiling effects occurred. This study found reduced joint awareness for BCR-TKA compared to a standard total knee arthroplasty. The score values of the BCR-group were equal to the UKA-group. Further prospective, randomized studies to investigate long-term survivorship of bicruciate-retaining implants are needed. Level II.

Team handball is associated with a high risk of severe knee injury that needs to be reduced, particularly at the youth level. The purpose of this study was to show how an injury-prevention programme effectively reduces severe knee injury in adolescent team handball players. Of 23 adolescent handball teams of both sexes, 13 were randomly allocated into the intervention group (168 players) and 10 into the control group (111 players). Players of the intervention group regularly participated in an injury-prevention programme for one season. Handball exposure and sustained injuries were documented for both groups on a monthly basis. The primary outcome parameter of the injury-prevention programme was the incidence of severe knee injury. Of the 279 included players, 68 (24%) sustained 82 injuries yielding an overall incidence of 1.85 injuries per 1000 h handball exposure (intervention group: 50 injuries/incidence: 1.90/1000 h; control group: 32 injuries/incidence: 1.78/1000 h). Knee injury was the second most frequent injury in adolescent team handball. The primary outcome parameter, severe knee injury occurred significantly more often in the control group [mean age (SD) 15.1 (1.0), injury incidence 0.33/1000 h] than in the intervention group [mean age (SD) 14.9 (0.9), injury incidence 0.04/1000 h]. The odds ratio was 0.11 (95% CI 0.01–0.90), p = 0.019. Other injuries to the lower extremities showed no significant difference between the two groups. Frequent neuromuscular exercises prevent severe knee injury in adolescent team handball players and should thus be included in the practical routine as well as in the education of team coaches.

ZusammenfassungFußball wird als beliebteste Sportart weltweit von einer Großzahl von Verletzungen begleitet. Zu den seltenen Verletzungen, mit zum Teil schwerwiegenden Folgen, zählen Schädelhirntraumen, deren Verletzungsmechanismen im Fußball multifaktoriell sind. Der Ball gehört im Rahmen des Kopfballspiels zu den seltenen Auslösern einer Kopfverletzung im Fußball. Kurz-, mittel- und langfristige Folgen von Kopfbällen im Fußball sind insgesamt nur unzureichend untersucht und es sind kaum praktische Fallbeispiele mit schwerwiegenden Folgen bekannt. Das seit dem November 2015 bestehende Kopfballverbot im Juniorenfußball der USA ist unter Berücksichtigung der Angst und des hohen Risikos für Schädelhirntraumen bei den beliebtesten amerikanischen Sportarten wie American Football oder Eishockey für den US-Sport im Allgemeinen nachvollziehbar, jedoch sollte diese Entscheidung zum Kopfballverbot im Fußball aufgrund fehlender wissenschaftlicher Daten und anderen Erfahrungen aus der Praxis in Europa nicht ungeprüft übernommen werden. Vielmehr sind andere Präventionsmaßnahmen für Schädelhirntraumen und weitere Verletzungen im Juniorenfußball notwendig und wozu die Anpassung der Ballgrößen für Juniorenfußballer gehört und bereits Alltag ist. Das Regelwerk so zu ändern, dass der Kopfball im Juniorenfußball gänzlich abgeschafft wird, ist nach Meinung der Autoren deswegen nicht zwingend erforderlich. Weitere Studien sind hier für eine Vereinheitlichung des weltweiten Fußballsports notwendig.

Background: Large osteochondral defects of the knee are a challenge for regenerative treatment. While matrix-guided autologous chondrocyte transplantation (MACT) represents a successful treatment for chondral defects, the treatment potential in combination with bone grafting by cancellous bone or bone block augmentation for large and deep osteochondral defects has not been evaluated. Purpose: To evaluate 1- to 3-year clinical outcomes and radiological results on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) after the treatment of large osteochondral defects of the knee with bone augmentation and MACT. Special emphasis is placed on different methods of bone grafting (cancellous bone grafting or bone block augmentation). Study Design: Case series; Level of evidence, 4. Methods: Fifty-one patients were included. Five patients were lost to follow-up. This left 46 patients (mean age, 28.2 years) with a median follow-up time of 2 years. The 46 patients had 47 deep, large osteochondral defects of the knee joint (1 patient with bilateral defects; mean defect size, 6.7 cm2). The origin of the osteochondral defects was osteochondritis dissecans (n = 34), osteonecrosis (n = 8), or subchondral cysts (n = 5). Depending on the depth, all defects were treated by cancellous bone grafting (defect depth ≤10 mm; n = 16) or bone block augmentation (defect depth >10 mm; n = 31) combined with MACT. Clinical outcomes were followed at 3 months, 6 months, 1 year, 2 years, and 3 years and evaluated using the International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) score and Cincinnati score. A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) evaluation was performed at 1 and 2 years, and the magnetic resonance observation of cartilage repair tissue (MOCART) score with additional specific subchondral bone parameters (bone regeneration, bone signal quality, osteophytes, sclerotic areas, and edema) was analyzed. Results: The clinical outcome scores revealed a significant increase at follow-up (6 months to 3 years) compared with the preclinical results. The median IKDC score increased from 42.6 preoperatively to 75.3 at 1 year, 79.7 at 2 years, and 84.3 at 3 years. The median Cincinnati score significantly increased from 39.8 preoperatively to 72.0 at 1 year, 78.0 at 2 years, and 80.3 at 3 years. The MRI evaluation revealed a MOCART score of 82.6 at 1 year without a deterioration at the later follow-up time point. Especially, the subchondral bone analysis showed successful regeneration. All bone blocks and cancellous bone grafts were integrated in the bony defects, and no chondrocyte transplant failure could be detected throughout the follow-up. Conclusion: Large and deep osteochondral defects of the knee joint can be treated successfully with bone augmentation and MACT. The treatment of shallow bony defects with cancellous bone grafting and deep bony defects with bone block augmentation shows promising results.

Die Gehirnerschutterung ist eine noch haufig unterschatzte Verletzung, die mit langer andauernden Folgeproblemen vergesellschaftet sein kann. Im Vergleich zu Erwachsenen ist die Erholungsphase gerade im Kindesalter haufig verlangert. Primar erfolgt eine korperliche und geistige Belastung symptomatikabhangig. Der Reintegration in den Alltag kommt entscheidende Bedeutung zu. Im Kindesalter muss somit primar auf eine Wiedererlangung der Schulfahigkeit fokussiert werden. Dabei ist ein Neuauftreten oder Wiederauftreten von Symptomen dringend zu erfassen, da sonst ein langerer prolongierter Heilungsverlauf moglich ist. Schulische Einschrankungen sind auf ein Minimum zu reduzieren. Entsprechende Konzepte sind in Nordamerika bereits umgesetzt. Fur Deutschland sind derartige Konzepte bisher nur unzureichend etabliert. Neben den fur die sportliche Wiedereingliederung bestehenden Return-to-Play-Protokollen ist dringend eine schulische stufenweise Wiedereingliederung sinnvoll und zu fordern. Dazu mussen akademische Anpassungen und Unterstutzungen etabliert werden sowie symptomorientierte Organisations- und Unterrichtsmodifikationen umgesetzt werden.

Ruptures of the Achilles tendon are the most common tendon injuries of the lower extremities. Besides the initial operative or non-operative treatment, rehabilitation of patients plays a crucial role for tendon healing and long-term outcome. As only limited evidence is available for optimized rehabilitation regimen and guidelines for the initial (e.g., first 6 weeks) rehabilitation are limited, this study investigated the current rehabilitation concepts after Achilles tendon rupture. We analyzed 213 written rehabilitation protocols that are provided by orthopedic and trauma surgery institutions throughout Germany in terms of recommendations for weight-bearing, range of motion (ROM), physiotherapy, and choice of orthosis. All protocols for operatively and non-operatively treated Achilles tendon ruptures were included. Descriptive analysis was carried out and statistical analysis applied where appropriate. Of 213 institutions, 204 offered rehabilitation protocols for Achilles tendon rupture and, therefore, 243 protocols for operative and non-operative treatment could be analyzed. While the majority of protocols allowed increased weight-bearing over time, significant differences were found for durations of fixed plantar flexion between operative (o) and non-operative (n) treatments [fixed 30° (or 20)° to 15° (or 10)°: 3.6 weeks (±0.1; o) vs 4.7 weeks (±0.3; n) (p ≤ 0.0001) and fixed 15° (or 10)° to 0°: 5.8 weeks (±0.1; o) vs 6.6 weeks (±0.2; n) (p ≤ 0.001)]. The mean time of the recommended start of physiotherapy is at 2.9 weeks (±0.2; o) vs 3.3 weeks (±0.4; n), respectively. Our study shows that a huge variability in rehabilitation after Achilles tendon rupture exists. This study shows different strategies in rehabilitation of Achilles tendon ruptures using a convertible vacuum brace system. To improve patient care, further clinical as well as biomechanical studies need to be conducted. This study might serve as basis for prospective randomized controlled trials to optimize rehabilitation for Achilles tendon ruptures.

ObjectivesThe objective was to describe the typical duration of absence following the most common injury diagnoses in professional football.MethodsInjuries were registered by medical staff members of football clubs participating in the Union of European Football Association Elite Club Injury Study. Duration of absence due to an injury was defined by the number of days that passed between the date of the injury occurrence and the date when the medical team allowed the player to return to full participation. In total, 22 942 injuries registered during 494 team-seasons were included in the study.ResultsThe 31 most common injury diagnoses constituted a total of 78 % of all reported injuries. Most of these injuries were either mild (leading to a median absence of 7 days or less, 6440 cases = 42%) or moderate (median absence: 7–28 days, 56% = 8518 cases) while only few (2% = 311 cases) were severe (median absence of >28 days). The mean duration of absence from training and competition was significantly different (p < 0.05) between index injuries and re-injuries for six diagnoses (Achilles tendon pain, calf muscle injury, groin adductor pain, hamstring muscle injuries and quadriceps muscle injury) with longer absence following re-injuries for all six diagnosesConclusionsThe majority of all time loss due to injuries in professional football stems from injuries with an individual absence of up to 4 weeks. This article can provide guidelines for expected time away from training and competition for the most common injury types as well as for its realistic range.

Background Sudden cardiac death (SCD) in children and adolescents is rare. Several studies have reported a higher risk of SCD during athletic competition. High risk congenital coronary artery abnormalities are the second leading cause of SCD in young athletes in the USA. Echocardiographic assessment of coronary arteries has not been routinely used in screening programmes for junior athletes so far. Design Prospective cohort study in 1045 consecutive adolescent elite football players. Methods All athletes underwent a standardized cardiovascular screening protocol with a medical history, a physical examination, 12-lead resting electrocardiogram and a complete transthoracic 2D-echocardiography. Results Two athletes (0.19%) showed a high-risk coronary artery abnormality (CAA) with a right coronary artery originating abnormal from the aorta and coursing inter-arterial. Low-risk CAAs were found in 16 athletes (1.53%). There was an ectasia of the left coronary artery (+3.9z and +4.3z) and a fistula from the left coronary artery in two cases (0.19%), respectively. In 1.05% ( n = 11) we found a high take-off (2.3–6.8 mm) and in one case (0.096%) there was a tangential take-off of the right main coronary artery. Variants of coronary arterial anatomy were identified in 335 of 1045 athletes (32.06%). Conclusion Basic pre-participation screening tests including 12-lead or exercise electrocardiogram do not safely identify high-risk CAAs. In adolescent athletes an expert cardiologist is able to describe the origin and the proximal course of the coronary arteries and identify major abnormalities in most of the cases by transthoracic 2D-echocardiography.

Injury prevention of knee injuries by means of training and warm-up exercises has been investigated in several studies in amateur football. However, the number of investigations in elite football is limited despite the currently higher injury incidence of severe knee injuries. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate whether specifically adapted preventive training modules may reduce severe knee injuries in elite football.In a prospective controlled cohort study of elite football players in Germany, an injury prevention programme with 5 modules was implemented in the season of 2015-2016. The training modules were specifically adapted to this skill level and based on scientific evidence, team coach preferences, and the specific environment of this playing level. Of the 62 teams taking part in this study, 26 used the new trainings modules and 36 continued their standard programme as a control group. Success of the programme was documented by means of an injury report over one season. The primary outcome was reduction in severe knee injuries.A pre-seasonal investigation had identified five modules to be implemented in the training routine. Postural stability, mobilisation of lower extremity joints, leg and trunk stabilisation, jumping, and landing exercises as well as agility movements were incorporated into the programme to prevent severe knee injuries in elite football. Over the season, the study group (529 players) with the adapted training modules had sustained 52 severe knee injuries (incidence: 0.38 per 1000 h football exposure; prevalence: 9.8%) compared to 108 severe knee injuries in the control group (601 players) using the standard programme (incidence: 0.68 per 1000 h football exposure; prevalence: 18.0%; p 0.05). The overall injury incidence for any other type of injury was comparable between the two groups (3.3 vs. 3.4 in h 1000 football, n.s.).Appropriate preventive training modules reduce severe knee injuries in elite football significantly. The key for the sustainability of preventive training measures are programmes specifically adapted to the demands of the playing level and to the preferences of the coaches LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: II.

Post-operative infection after arthroscopically assisted anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction is a rare but severe complication, particularly for young and active patients. It is unclear whether the prevalence of knee infection is correlated with the type of sports or the level of performance.From 2008 to 2012, the internal single-centre ACL registry of the FIFA Medical Centre of Excellence Regensburg was retrospectively screened for sex, age, time between isolated primary ACL rupture and surgery, surgical technique, rate of infection after ACL reconstruction and the type of sports practised.In total, 4801 ACL reconstructions had been conducted over 5 years, 4579 in amateur and 221 in professional athletes. After application of the exclusion criteria, 1809 athletes with ACL reconstruction were analysed regarding postsurgical infection and the type of sports practised. Professionals and amateurs did not significantly differ with regard to infection rates (n.s.) but in the timing of ACL repair (p 0.001). Eleven of 1130 football players had developed postsurgical infection after ACL reconstruction (1.0%) in contrast to 557 skiers and snowboarders without infection (p = 0.02). The timing of ACL repair did not differ between the different types of sports (n.s.). Staphylococcus aureus and epidermidis were the predominant detected bacteria. All patients were hospitalised and successfully treated with arthroscopic lavage and antibiotic medication.ACL infections showed sports-related differences. Athletes practising summer outdoor sports such as football had a significantly higher risk of infection after ACL reconstruction than winter sports athletes. No difference was found between professional and amateur athletes. Relevant prevention strategies for postsurgical ACL infections should consider influencing patient factors such as the type of sports activity and attendant circumstances.III.

Rising expectations in functional performance of total knee joints are inciting further improvement of knee arthroplasty implants. From a patient-centred view, bicruciate-retaining models provide a more natural feeling knee. However, there is no evidence of functional advantage for these implants. The aim of this study was to evaluate balance ability as a measure of proprioception in patients with a bicruciate-retaining total knee arthroplasty. A prospective, controlled trial was conducted to compare balance ability in 60 patients after arthroplasty of the knee for osteoarthritis. We compared patients with a bicruciate-retaining knee arthroplasty (BCR group) to a control group of patients with a medial unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA group) and another control group of patients with a posterior stabilized total knee arthroplasty (PS group). The patient population comprised 30 women (50.0 %) and 30 men in three cohorts of 20 each. The mean age was 62.1 ± 8.0 years (range 43–78). Patients were evaluated preoperatively and 9 months post-operatively. The evaluation included clinical, radiological, and balance testing—a single-leg stance with eyes closed compared to eyes open. The difference in area of sway between eyes closed and eyes open represents static balance ability after knee arthroplasty. Perioperative data showed that there was no intra-operative fracture of the intercondylar eminence. There was a decreased post-operative knee extension 9 months post-operative in the BCR group, which was not clinically relevant in any case. We recorded a lower difference in the area of sway between eyes closed and eyes open (ΔA (ec–eo)) for the BCR group (p = 0.01) and the UKA group (p = 0.04) compared to the PS group. This study found superior static balance ability after preservation of both cruciate ligaments in arthroplasty of the knee, indicating superior proprioceptive function. Hence, BCR implants could provide improved functional properties. Superior proprioceptive function of bicruciate-retaining implants can be an important factor in implant selection. Further prospective, randomized studies to investigate kinematics and long-term survivorship of bicruciate-retaining implants are needed. II.

Overuse shoulder injuries are common in youth handball, but research is limited. The purpose of this study was to identify pre-season risk factors associated with overuse shoulder injuries in this population. One-hundred and thirty-eight (70 boys and 68 girls) youth elite players (age 14.1 ± 0.8 years, height 175.2 ± 8.2 cm, weight 64.0 ± 9.6 kg) completed a pre-season screening protocol. Passive glenohumeral range of motion and maximum external (ER) and internal rotation (IR) strength were measured with a manual goniometer and a hand-held dynamometer. Scapular dyskinesia and maximum throwing velocity were also assessed. Players completed standardised questionnaires over the 2017–2018 season and reported any overuse shoulder symptoms. Decreased isometric and eccentric ER strength was identified as a risk factor for overuse shoulder injury, both for absolute (OR 10.70, 95% CI 1.2–95.6, p = 0.034) and normalised ER strength (OR 1.2, 95% CI 1.0–1.4, p = 0.015) and the ER:IR strength ratio (OR 1.2, 95% CI 1.1–1.5, p = 0.012). ER gain of more than 7.5° (p = 0.025) and GIRD of more than 7.5° (p = 0.014) were identified as risk factors for overuse shoulder injury in girls. Scapular dyskinesia (OR 1.1, n.s.) and maximum throwing velocity did not seem to contribute to injury risk. The average response rate was 63%. In elite youth handball, deficits in ER strength is a risk factor for overuse shoulder injury for both sexes; ER gain and GIRD are only risk factors for girls. Focused pre-season assessments may aid the identification of risk factors for shoulder overuse injuries and the application of specific programmes to reduce risk. II.

Introduction Patellar dislocation and rupture of the medial patellofemoral ligament (MPFL) are frequently seen in daily orthopedic practice. Besides initial non-surgical treatment, surgery and subsequent rehabilitation are crucial for restoring stability in the femoropatellar joint. This study investigated current rehabilitation strategies after patellar dislocation because knowledge on this topic has been severely limited so far. Materials and methods The current rehabilitation protocols of 42 orthopedic and trauma surgical institutions were analyzed regarding their recommendations on weight bearing, range of motion (ROM), and use of movement devices and orthosis. All protocols for conservative treatment and postoperative rehabilitation after MPFL reconstruction were compared. Descriptive and statistical analyses were carried out when appropriate. Results The different rehabilitation strategies for conservative and surgical treatment after patellar dislocation showed a tendency towards earlier functional rehabilitation after surgical MPFL reconstruction than after conservative treatment. Both surgical and conservative treatment involved initial restrictions in weight bearing, ROM, and use of movement devices and orthosis at the beginning of rehabilitation. The rehab protocols showed a significant earlier full weight bearing after surgical MPFL reconstruction (p > 0.001). Due to the presence of other parameters for early functional treatment, the absence of an indication for using orthosis (surgical: 44%, conservative: 33%; p = 0.515) or start of unlimited ROM of the knee (surgical: 4.9 weeks, conservative: 5.7 weeks; p = 0.076) showed by trend an earlier functional strategy after MPFL reconstruction than after conservative therapy. Conclusions Both conservative and surgical treatment after patellar dislocation showed restrictions in the early phase of the rehabilitation. Earlier functional therapy was more common after MPFL reconstruction than after conservative treatment. Further clinical and biomechanical studies on rehabilitation strategies after patellar dislocation are needed to improve patient care und individualized therapy.

Severe sports-related injuries are a common affliction treated in Level I trauma departments. Detailed knowledge on injury characteristics from different medical settings is essential to improve the development of injury prevention strategies in different team sports.Team sport injuries were retrospectively analysed in a Level I trauma department registry over 15 years. Injury and treatment data were compared with regard to competition and training exposure. Injury data such as "time of visitation", "type of injury", "multiple injured body regions" and "immediate hospitalisation" helped to define the severity level of each team sports injury.At the Level I trauma department, 11.361 sports-related injuries were seen over 15 years, of which 34.0 % were sustained during team sports. Soccer injuries were the most common injuries of all team sports (71.4 %). The lower extremity was the most affected body region overall, followed by the upper extremity. Head injuries were mainly seen in Ice hockey and American football and concussion additionally frequently in team handball. Slight injuries like sprains or contusions occurred most frequently in all team sports. In soccer and team handball, injuries sustained in competition were significantly more severe (p 0.001) than those sustained in practice.Volleyball and basketball had a trend to higher rate of severe injuries sustained during practice sessions.Depending on the specific injury profile of each team sports, injury prevention strategies should address competitive as well as training situations, whichmay need different strategies.Schwere, sportbezogene Verletzungen werden häufig in Level-1-Traumazentren behandelt. Die Entwicklung besserer Strategien zur Verletzungsprävention in unterschiedlichen Teamsportarten erfordert detaillierte Kenntnisse der Verletzungscharakteristika aus verschiedenen medizinischen Bereichen.Es erfolgte eine retrospektive Analyse der Teamsportverletzungen im Register eines Level-1-Traumazentrums über einen Zeitraum von 15 Jahren. Die Verletzungs- und Behandlungsdaten wurden im Hinblick auf die Wettkampf- und Trainingsexposition verglichen. Mithilfe verletzungsbezogener Daten wie Besuchszeitpunkt, Verletzungsart, Körperregionen mit multiplen Verletzungen und unmittelbare stationäre Aufnahme konnte der Schweregrad jeder Teamsportverletzung definiert werden.In diesem Level-I-Traumazentrum wurden in 15 Jahren 11 361 sportbezogene Verletzungen behandelt, von denen sich 34,0 % bei einem Teamsport ereigneten. Von allen Teamsportarten war die Verletzungsquote beim Fußball am höchsten (71,4 %). Die untere Extremität war die insgesamt am meisten betroffene Körperregion, gefolgt von der oberen Extremität. Kopfverletzungen wurden vorwiegend im Eishockey und American Football beobachtet, Gehirnerschütterungen darüber hinaus auch häufig im Handball. Bei allen Teamsportarten kam es am häufigsten zu leichten Verletzungen wie Verstauchungen oder Prellungen. Beim Fußball und Handball traten im Wettkampf deutlich schwerer ausgeprägte Verletzungen auf (p 0,001) als während des Trainings. Beim Volleyball und Basketball zeigte sich tendenziell eine höhere Rate schwerer trainingsbedingter Verletzungen.In Abhängigkeit der speziellen Verletzungsprofile der einzelnen Teamsportarten sollten Strategien zur Verletzungsprävention sowohl auf Wettkampf- als auch auf Trainingssituationen ausgerichtet sein. Unter Umständen sind hier jeweils unterschiedliche Strategien erforderlich.

Side-to-side asymmetry in side-cutting manoeuvres is a known risk factor for severe knee injury. Potential leg asymmetry during ground contact times of different change-of-direction manoeuvres was evaluated in athletes by means of the recently developed SpeedCourt® system. The hypotheses were that ground contact times and the limb symmetry index are affected by age and the type of sports. One-hundred and sixty-five athletes (149 men, 16 women, age 16.5 ± 5.1) of popular team sports such as football, team handball and baseball were assessed by means of three different tests [side-hop, lateral change-of-direction (COD) and diagonal COD] using the SpeedCourt® system. Analysis included the factors age, sex, type of sports, ground contact time, leg symmetry index and limb dominance. During lateral but not diagonal COD tests, football players had shorter contact times than players of team handball (p = 0.026) and baseball (p = 0.015) of the same age group. The side-hop tests yielded differences in the leg symmetry index between players 16 years (p

Scientific studies on injury characteristics are rather common in professional football but not in amateur football despite the thousands of amateur football tournaments taking place worldwide each year. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the preparation and injury patterns of players of two different football skill levels who participated in an international amateur football tournament. In a prospective cohort study, an international amateur football tournament of medical doctors in 2011 was analysed with regard to training and warm-up preparation, the level of football played before the tournament and injury data during the tournament by means of standardised injury definitions and data samples for football. Results: Amateur players of registered football clubs had higher training exposure before the tournament (p

Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) ruptures are often associated with primary meniscal and cartilage lesions. Late reconstruction of ACL-deficient knees may increase the risk of developing secondary meniscal and cartilage lesions; hence, the timing of ACL repair is of the utmost importance. Because meniscus outcome is also a potential predictor for osteoarthritis (OA), this study compared ACL repair within the first 6 months after injury to that of surgery conducted 7-12 months after injury with regard to the incidence of meniscal and cartilage lesions.This prospective cross-sectional study included all complete isolated primary ACL ruptures treated in our institution within 1 year after trauma over a 12-month period. Exclusion criteria were revision ACL, complex ligament injuries, previous knee surgery, and missing injury data. Cartilage lesions were classified according to the score established by the International Cartilage Repair Society (ICRS score) and meniscal tears according to their treatment options.Two hundred and thirty-three of 730 patients (162 men, 71 women) with ACL repair met the inclusion criteria. 86.3 % of surgical interventions were conducted within 6 months and 13.7 % after 6 months of trauma. Severe cartilage lesions grade III-IV did not significantly differ between the different time points of ACL repair (6 months 39.9 %;6 months 31.3 %; p = n.s.). Medial meniscus lesions received significantly higher meniscal repair in early compared to delayed ACL repair. Significantly higher rate of meniscal repair of the medial meniscus was seen in cases of early ACL repair compared to delayed (6 months 77.2 %,6 months 46.7; p = 0.022). The rate of medial meniscal repair in early ACL repair was significantly higher for women (89.5-0 %; p = 0.002), however, not for men (73.3-53.8 %; p = n.s.). No differences were found for lateral meniscal lesions, with regard to neither the different time points (p = n.s.) nor the sex (p = n.s.).Because of the significantly higher rate of prognostically advantageous meniscal repair, the recommendation for an ACL reconstruction within 6 months after trauma was made to preserve the meniscus and reduce the risk of developing OA.Prospective cross-sectional cohort study, Level II.

Injuries are a common problem in football. To improve prevention strategies, the players’ (p) and coaches’ (c) views need to be disclosed as they have a strong impact on return to play decisions. The aim of this study is to reveal current opinions with regard to injury prevention and return to play strategies to introduce new strategies in elite football. In a retrospective data analysis of elite salaried football players (n = 486) and team coaches (n = 88), a detailed investigation by means of a standardized questionnaire was carried out. In a preseason period of the 2015/16 season and as part of a large interventional research project in elite salaried German football, a request about players’ and team coaches’ knowledge and opinions was performed. Topics such as injury prevention, return to play after injuries, the importance of screening tests, general problems of injuries in football, or the decision-making in terms of prevention and return to play in elite football were investigated. The study revealed a high interest in injury prevention and screening tests among players and coaches (p 82.5%; c 99.1%). The participants of the study reported warm-up exercises (p 76.4%; c 74.7%), regeneration training (p 54.1%; c 56.3%), and core stability (p 53.8; c 70.1%) as the most important prevention methods, but the additional investigation of the teams’ current daily training routine showed that the transfer is incomplete. Coaches are more familiar with scientific published warm-up programs like FIFA 11 + than players (42.5 vs. 12.6; p

Beach handball is a relatively new type of sports, which was derived from team handball. Medical issues such as frequency and severity of injury are yet unknown. The purpose of this study was to investigate the injury pattern and injury rates of this new type of sports. This study investigated the injury incidence of 30 national teams (10 senior and 20 u-17 teams, 16 men’s and 14 women’s teams) participating in the 2017 European Beach Handball Championships. Reports on injuries sustained during the senior and u-17 youth tournaments were provided by the medical staff of each team. Injury incidence was differentiated between age and sex, and between the five field positions (goalkeeper, wing, central defender, pivot, and specialist). During the tournaments, 87 injuries were recorded yielding an overall injury incidence of 286.1 per 1000 match hours. Time-loss due to injury was 49.3 per 1000 match hours. Senior players had a higher overall injury incidence with 395.3 injuries than u-17 players with 205.7 injuries per 1000 h match hours (p

The decision on football players’ return to play after minor or severe injuries is based on multiple factors and usually made by several persons. The different stages of the return-to-play process after football injury involve several rather different situations that require the expertise of an interdisciplinary team. At the beginning of treatment, the main decision-maker is the team physician or, after surgical treatment, the surgeon. During the subsequent healing process, players are supported by experts such as physiotherapists, rehabilitation coaches, athletic coaches and sports scientists, who decide on the player’s progress to the next return-to-play stage. In the last phase of the return-to-play process, which includes the return-to-team training and competitive matches, both team coaches and football players are mainly responsible for the decision to go back on the field. Thus, the successful return to play of football players after injury requires the expertise and specific skills of different experts with a working relationship based on mutual trust and respect. Nevertheless, the key players in the entire return-to-play process are the injured football players themselves and their team coaches; therefore, their knowledge, expectations and aims should always be taken into consideration by the medical team.

Conservative treatment of partial ACL ruptures is associated with a high failure rate, and often patients undergo ACL reconstruction. ACL preservation by trephination of the ACL origin and application of Autologous Conditioned Plasma (ACP) seems to be an intriguing new treatment option to favour ACL tissue healing and avoid traditional reconstruction. The aim of this study was to describe the mid-term outcomes of this new ACL preserving technique. Twenty-four patients (mean age 41.8 years) affected by partial rupture of one or both ACL bundles were included in the present trial. The partial ACL tears were arthroscopically assessed and classified according to a new five step grading system. All patients were treated by trephination of the femoral ACL stump and intra-ligamentary application of ACP. The postoperative outcome was evaluated by both subjective scores and stability testing up to a mean of 25.1 months’ follow-up. Adverse events and failure rate were also documented. Clinical outcome was good to excellent with IKDC subjective 82.7 (SD 11.8), Lysholm 87.6 (SD 8.1), Tegner 5.3 (SD 2.1), Cincinnati 88.7 (SD 14.8). The failure rate (i.e. persisting knee instability assessed clinically or by rolimeter) was 12.5%. At objective measurements, knee joints showed a firm endpoint in Lachman test, negative pivot shift phenomenon and a significant reduction in AP-laxity compared to pre-operative status by rolimeter testing (p = 0.002). Return to sport practice was achieved after mean 4.8 months (SD 4.1). ACL stump trephination and concomitant intra-ligamentary application of ACP revealed promising results at mid-term follow-up to treat partial ACL lesions.

In the season 2008–2009, a third professional football league was established in Germany. This study analysed the influence of increased training and playing intensity on severe knee injuries in football players. In a prospective controlled one-season trial, injury incidence and injury patterns of players of the newly established professional football league were analysed, particularly with regard to ruptures of the anterior (ACL) and posterior (PCL) cruciate ligaments. Players of the highest amateur level served as a control group. Four hundred and eight players of 24 teams were allocated to two groups. The overall training exposure was significantly (p

The injury mechanisms of midfacial fractures may be typical causes of concussion, but hardly any scientific data on midfacial injuries sustained in football are available. Head and brain trauma represent frequent injuries in athletes of different sports that require appropriate treatment by sports and trauma physicians. This study investigated the management of midfacial fractures in football and the association of such fractures with concomitant brain injury. In a prospective cohort study lasting 24 months (2012 to 2013), midfacial injuries of football players were analysed with regard to the injury mechanisms, first aid procedures on the field, treatment and return-to-play. To analyse concomitant and potentially overlooked minor brain injuries due to the trauma, we retrospectively investigated the neurological symptoms of the study population. The study included 132 football players (37 semi-professionals and 95 amateurs) with midfacial fractures. The main injury mechanisms were head-to-head and head-to-elbow trauma. The mean period of return-to-play after trauma was 33.5 days, which was significantly shortened if a protective face mask was worn (mean 10.4 days earlier, p = 0.0006). Semi-professional football players returned to play earlier (p = 0.009) and more often used protective face masks (p = 0.001). 55 players (41.6%) had neurological symptoms immediately after trauma as a possible sign of concomitant minor brain injury. 5 of 132 players with concussion had been hospitalised for 24 h, but no persistent neurological symptoms were detected. In football, midfacial fractures represent moderate-to-severe injuries with time away from sports of more than 4 weeks. Over 40% of athletes with a midfacial fracture showed concomitant neurological symptoms as a sign of minor brain injury. Therefore, sports physicians and other staff supervising athletes in daily practice should be aware of the presence of neurological symptoms. Level III.

Background Football injuries are a common problem for players, coaches and clubs. To improve prevention strategies, the player and coach view needs to be known. Objective The aim of the study was to reveal current views about injuries prevention strategies in football. Design Retrospective cohort study in elite football level. Setting The elite football level of salaried football players (n=486) and team coaches (n=88) were investigated. Participants Team coaches (c) and male football players (p) of all age levels of the 4th until 6th division in German football were included. Interventions One questionnaire at the beginning of a football season was completed in the context of an intervention study regarding injury prevention in elite football. Main Outcome Measurements Investigated topics were points view about influencing factors on injuries, screening tests, injury profile and return to play decision-making. Results Physiotherapy (p:77.8%; c:75.9%) and screening examinations (p: 56.3%; c: 62.1%) were highest ranked as prevention strategy in football. The most important preventive training topics were warm up exercises (p: 76.1%; c: 74.7%), regeneration (p: 54.1%; c: 56.3%) and core stability (p: 53.8; c: 70.1%), while practical transfer to the field was low for core stability (p: 27.5%; c: 32.1%) and balancing exercises (p: 22.0; c: 19.8%). Knee injuries (p: 90.7%; c: 93.1%) were reported as the most common problem in football. Decision-making for return to play after injuries presented players with own will for a decision-making (81.4%) and the team coaches with the opinion that doctors are main decision maker (83.5%). Thus, decisions against doctors9 recommendation in the past were frequently made among participants (p: 64.4%; c: 87.1%). Conclusions The basic knowledge about prevention of injuries in elite football is sufficient, while practical implementation is insufficient.

Background Prevention strategies for ACL injuries in Olympic sports are mandatory and the collection of data about risk factors and injury characteristics have highest priority. Objective What are the main risk and influencing factors on ACL injuries and safe return to play in different sports, beginning with worl9s number one sport football? Design A prospective analysis of ACL injuries in German amateur and professional football. Setting ACL injury registration over two football seasons and investigation of ACL injured player by 2 questionnaire after injury and after one year. Patients Players of German football divisions were investigated, including all divisions, both gender and all age levels. Interventions Beside typical influencing and risk factors for ACL injuries, circumstances for a return to play decision were investigated. Main Outcome Measurements Investigated variables are anthropometric data, football exposure data, training and warm up data, regeneration data and return to play decision-making. Results 512 ACL injuries in football were registered in the first season with 71.1% non-contact injuries, 85.5% match injuries, younger female players and 93.5% surgical treatment rate. 68% of ACL injuries occurred in the preseason period, 60% of 1st division players were internationals and the first professional division revealed a higher ACL rate than the 2nd and 3rd division. Balancing exercises ( Conclusions To improve injury prevention strategies for ACL injuries, a detailed knowledge about injury characteristics is necessary in all sports.