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Introduction: Parkinson's disease (PD) is one the most common neurodegenerative movement disorder, leading to motor and non-motor symptoms, including deficits in executive functions (EF), memory, visuospatial abilities, and psychomotor speed. Current treatments are primarily symptomatic, involving pharmacological, surgical strategies. Neurologic Music Therapy (NMT) has gained recognition for its effectiveness in neurorehabilitation of PD patients and improving motor and cognitive domains, such as EF. This study combines NMT with the virtual reality (VR) platform Computer-Assisted Rehabilitation Environment (CAREN), offering customizable environments for rhythmic cue practice to provide an innovative approach to Parkinson's rehabilitation., Methods: In our single-blind quasi-randomized controlled trial, forty patients were assigned to either an experimental group (EG = 20) or a control group (CG = 20). Both groups underwent two months of training with CAREN scenarios (three times a week for 24 sessions). The experimental group additionally received NMT applied to the selected scenarios. Participants were evaluated by a neuropsychologist at baseline and immediately after training., Results: Intra-group analysis showed significant improvements in the EG for MOCA (p = 0.007), FAB (p = 0.008), Stroop Error (p = 0.003), Stroop Time (p < 0.001), and Visual Search (p < 0.001). The CG showed a significant difference only in Stroop Error (p = 0.02)., Conclusions: This pilot study is the first to combine NMT with CAREN in PD patients. Our findings suggest that NMT, within an immersive VR environment, effectively improves cognitive and EF in PD. Music structured within NMT techniques, coupled with advanced audio-visual feedback from VR, offers an innovative and potentially more effective approach for managing cognitive and executive deficits associated with PD., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest regarding the research, authorship, or publication of this article., (© 2024 The Author(s).)

Background and Objectives: Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a non-invasive therapeutic method that modulates cortical excitability and shows promising results for treating disorders of consciousness (DoCs). Robotic verticalization training (RVT) has been shown to enhance motor and cognitive recovery. This study evaluates the effects of an innovative approach combining RVT with tDCS in individuals with DoCs., Methods: Twenty-four subjects with DoCs, particularly those with chronic minimally conscious state (MCS) due to vascular or traumatic brain injury, participated in a quasi-randomized study at the Neurorehabilitation Unit, IRCCS Neurolesi (Messina, Italy). Participants were divided into either a control group (CG) receiving RVT alone or an experimental group (EG) receiving combined tDCS and RVT. Both groups underwent treatments five times weekly for four weeks, with tDCS/sham sessions over the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) lasting 20 min before Erigo training sessions, which lasted 45 min., Results: The findings indicate that combining tDCS with Erigo ® Pro RTT could lead to greater improvements in cognitive functioning and P300 latency compared to the CG., Conclusions: These results suggest that the integrated approach of tDCS with RVT could offer significant benefits for patients with MCS, highlighting its potential to enhance cognitive recovery, such as reducing P300 latency.

This review aimed, as part of a larger FIFA project aiming to steer women's football research, to scope literature on any level of competitive football for women, to understand the current quantity of research on women's football injuries. The study reviewed all injury-related papers scoped by a recent scoping review mapping all published women's football research with an updated search performed on 23 February 2021. Eligibility criteria assessment followed the recent scoping review with injury-specific research focus. A total of 497 studies were scoped. Most studies contained an epidemiological (N = 226; 45%) or risk factors assessment (N = 105; 21%). Less assessed areas included financial burden (N = 1; <1%) and injury awareness (N = 5; 1%). 159 studies (32%) assessed injuries of the whole body. The most common single location assessed in the literature was the knee (N = 134, 27%), followed by head/face (N =108, 22%). These numbers were, however, substantially lowered, when subdivided by playing level and age-group. The volume of research focuses especially on descriptive research and specific body locations (head/face and knee). Although information can be taken from studies in other sports, more football-specific studies to support management and prevention of injuries are warranted.

Issue Addressed: Firefighting is physically and mentally taxing and recruits are expected to have optimal health and fitness. However, physical fitness tends to decline following initial training, placing firefighters at an increased risk for stress and injury. Efforts are needed to engage and support firefighters in maintaining adequate health and fitness to withstand the rigorous demands of their occupation. This study examined the feasibility of TARP, a pragmatic strength and conditioning intervention for metropolitan-based firefighters, delivered in collaboration with a professional National Rugby League club., Methods: A mixed-methods approach was utilised to examine program implementation, recruitment and sample characteristics, intervention satisfaction and acceptability, and participants' response to the intervention. Evaluation measures included field notes taken during steering committee meetings, participant flow data, baseline and follow-up outcome measures, self-report questionnaires, and telephone interviews with a sample of participants., Results: Participants (N = 113) were predominantly men (82%) with a mean age of 43 ± 9.3 years and BMI of 26.6 ± 2.9 kg/m 2 . Program satisfaction was high (95% very satisfied or somewhat satisfied) among program completers (42% retention). Key strengths of the program included delivery through the professional sports club, quality of facilities and equipment, and scheduling flexibility. Future programs should consider incorporating education or training to support behaviour change maintenance and strategies to retain participants at follow-up., Conclusions: Results provide valuable insights into the design and delivery of interventions for firefighters and demonstrate the importance of strong partnerships between community stakeholders., (© 2022 The Authors. Health Promotion Journal of Australia published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Australian Health Promotion Association.)

Introduction and Objective: This pilot study aimed to evaluate whether and to what extent cybersickness (CS) may affect a rehabilitation program using the Computer-assisted Rehabilitation Environment (CAREN), a virtual reality (VR) computer-assisted device for clinical rehabilitation., Methods: The study was carried out on 30 subjects, 15 patients with Parkinson's Disease (PD) and 15 healthy controls (HC), which underwent a set of four exergames programmed by our team for PD rehabilitation training., Results: All participants completed the Motion Sickness Susceptibility Questionnaire Short-form (MSSQ) before the training and the Motion Symptoms Assessment Questionnaire (MSAQ) immediately after a single CAREN session. Overall, mean MSAQ scores remained low after the session, suggesting that the users did not experience severe discomfort. We found no significant difference in MSAQ scores between the two groups, while there was a statistically significant difference for the subsection of MSAQ regarding the peripheral symptoms (i.e. sweating, cold sweating, feeling warm), which were higher in HC. Moreover, the results highlighted some correlation between MSSQ and MSAQ. Gastrointestinal symptoms in PD, as well as MSSQ and sopite-related symptoms in HC, were also correlated with susceptibility to CS., Conclusions: As CS is rarely reported after CAREN, this and similar devices may be considered comfortable and safe for patients' rehabilitation involving VR training, including PD persons.

Men's mental health promotion presents unique challenges including gender-related barriers and stigmas, which demand novel approaches to prevention, treatment, and management. The aim of this study was to explore men's perceptions of mental health and preferences for mental health promotion. Seven focus groups (N = 59) were conducted in Sydney, Australia, including 5 groups of men (M = 50.65, SD = 13.75 years) and 2 groups of stakeholders who had frontline experience working with men (e.g., men's groups, health clubs, mental health advocates). Data were analysed using thematic analysis and interpreted using a gender relations approach to explore connections between gender roles, relations and identities, and men's mental health. Three overarching themes were identified; (1) Roles, identities, and the conceptualisation and concealment of mental health challenges, revealing challenges to mental health promotion related to perceptions of men's restrictive emotionality and emotional awareness as well as difficulties with conceptualising the internalised experiences of mental health, (2) Constraining social contexts of stigma and gender relations, identifying how social context and the policing of gender roles often obscured opportunities for discussing mental health and help-seeking behaviour, (3) Anchoring mental health promotion to acceptable lifestyle practices, highlighting potential remedies included leveraging men's social practices related to reciprocity, normalising mental health promotion relative to other behaviours, and embedding mental health promotion within acceptable masculine practices. Discussed are directions for men's community-based mental health promotion and opportunities for how masculinities may be negotiated and expanded to embody mental health promoting values., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Background and Aim of the Work: Traumatic meniscal tears are raising in skeletally immature patients due to increasing participation in sport activities. Nonetheless, meniscal tears remain a rare injury in children, with a lack of evidence regarding treatment and outcome. The aim of the study is to review the literature on BHMT in children aged under 10 years., Methods: Two independent reviewers conducted a systematic search of Embase, Medline and Pubmed databases to report a summary of literature evidence about epidemiology, clinical presentation, diagnosis, treatment and outcome of BHMTs in children under the age of 10., Result: Eight articles have been considered, including seven case reports and one case series. We found 21 cases of BHMTs in children under 10 years. The injury occurred in the medial meniscus in 8 cases (66,7%), while in 4 cases (33,3%) on a lateral discoid meniscus. The mean reported age is 4,6 years (range 2 years - 9 years), with prevalence of the female sex (62,5%)., Conclusion: BHMT is an uncommon lesion in children under 10 years old. It can be suspected after a history of knee trauma in patients with knee pain, effusion and locking. MRI is the best technique for the diagnosis. Current strategy of treatment is to preserve the meniscus through different arthroscopic suture techniques.

Personality is an important variable when explaining individual differences in disease acceptance, coping styles and psychological well-being. Personality changes, such as social inadequacy, disinhibition, apathy, emotional lability, and impulsivity, have been reported in many patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). This review sought to assess the role of personality traits in people with MS, focusing on how this may affect the patient's outcome. Studies were identified by searching on PubMed, Web Of Science and Cochrane databases. Our review shows that the personality traits commonly found in MS are often dysfunctional. In particular, it has been suggested that people with MS present with lower levels of conscientiousness, extraversion and agreeableness, as well as higher levels of neuroticism than healthy controls. These personality traits negatively affect cognitive domains, mood, and psychological well-being. As personality may affect the clinical manifestations and disabilities of patients with MS, personality assessment should be an integral part of the management of the disease, in order to achieve better functional outcomes., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most common age-related neurodegenerative disorder, presenting not only with motor symptoms (resting tremor, bradykinesia, and muscular rigidity), but also with cognitive and behavioral problems that need to be addressed in a rehabilitation setting. Aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of a combined rehabilitative approach, using gait training coupled to music-based therapy, on cognitive and behavioral function in a sample of patients with PD. Materials and Methods: Forty patients, meeting the inclusion criteria, were enrolled in this study and were randomly divided into two groups. The control group (CG) underwent traditional over ground gait training, whilst the experimental group (EG) underwent gait training with the Biodex Gait Trainer 3 (a treadmill integrated with music therapy). Each subject was evaluated at baseline (T0) and after the training (T1), using specific neuropsychological and motor function tests. Results: The EG presented higher outcomes scores concerning mood and quality of life in all subscales of Psychological General Well-Being Index (i.e. anxiety, depression, health, vitality and positivity) and subscales of Brief-COPE, with regard to behavioral disengagement, positive reframing, planning, acceptance and use of emotional support, as compared to the CG. Moreover, a significant improvement in motor functioning, with regard to static and dynamic balance, was found in the EG. Conclusion: Music-based gait training rehabilitation may be considered an effective strategy to improve behavioral performances, coping strategies and rehabilitation outcomes in patients with PD.

Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a demyelinating disease, affecting both the sensorimotor and cognitive systems. The typical pattern of cognitive impairment includes reduced speed of information processing, decreased phonological and semantic speech fluency, deficits in verbal and visual episodic memory, as well as attention and executive dysfunctions. We aimed to investigate the influence of the neurologic music therapy (NMT) on mood, motivation, emotion status, and cognitive functions in patients with MS., Methods: Thirty patients with MS were randomly divided in 2 groups: the control group (CG) undergoing conventional cognitive rehabilitation (CCR), 6 times a week for 8 weeks, and the experimental group (EG) undergoing CCR 3 times a week for 8 weeks plus NMT techniques, performed 3 times a week for 8 weeks. All the participants were submitted to the same amount of treatment. Each patient was evaluated before (baseline: T0) and immediately after the end of each training (T1)., Main Outcomes Measures: We used as main outcome measure: the brief repeatable battery of neuropsychological test to assess various cognitive abilities; and the multiple sclerosis quality of life-54 (MSQoL-54)., Results: Both the groups benefit from 8 weeks of CR. In particular, the EG got better results in cognitive function, with regard to selective reminding test long term storage (P < .000), long term retrieval (P = .007), and delayed recall of the 10/36 spatial recall test (P = .001), as compared with the CG. Moreover, the improvement in emotional status, motivation, mood and quality of life (with regard to the mental component; P < .000) was more evident in the EG., Conclusions: NMT could be considered a complementary approach to enhance CCR in patients affected by MS.

The Red Nucleus (RN) is a large nucleus located in the ventral midbrain: it is subdivided into a small caudal magnocellular part (mRN) and a large rostral parvocellular part (pRN). These distinct structural regions are part of functionally different networks and show distinctive connectivity features: the mRN is connected to the interposed nucleus, whilst the pRN is mainly connected to dentate nucleus, cortex and inferior olivary complex. Despite functional neuroimaging studies suggest RN involvement in complex motor and higher order functions, the pRN and mRN cannot be distinguished using conventional MRI. Herein, we employ high-quality structural and diffusion MRI data of 100 individuals from the Human Connectome Project repository and constrained spherical deconvolution tractography to perform connectivity-based segmentation of the human RN. In particular, we tracked connections of RN with the inferior olivary complex, the interposed nucleus, the dentate nucleus and the cerebral cortex. We found that the RN can be subdivided according to its connectivity into two clusters: a large ventrolateral one, mainly connected with the cerebral cortex and the inferior olivary complex, and a smaller dorsomedial one, mainly connected with the interposed nucleus. This structural topography strongly reflects the connectivity patterns of pRN and mRN respectively. Structural connectivity-based segmentation could represent a useful tool for the identification of distinct subregions of the human red nucleus on 3T MRI thus allowing a better evaluation of this subcortical structure in healthy and pathological conditions.

Biofilms, especially those formed by Staphylococcus aureus, play a key role in the development of orthopedic implant infections. Eradication of these infections is challenging due to the elevated tolerance of biofilm cells against antimicrobial agents. In this study, we developed an antibiofilm coating consisting of 5-(4-bromophenyl)-N-cyclopentyl-1-octyl-1H-imidazol-2-amine, designated as LC0024, covalently bound to a titanium implant surface (LC0024-Ti). We showed in vitro that the LC0024-Ti surface reduces biofilm formation of S. aureus in a specific manner without reducing the planktonic cells above the biofilm, as evaluated by plate counting and fluorescence microscopy. The advantage of compounds that only inhibit biofilm formation without affecting the viability of the planktonic cells, is that reduced development of bacterial resistance is expected. To determine the antibiofilm activity of LC0024-Ti surfaces in vivo, a biomaterial-associated murine infection model was used. The results indicated a significant reduction in S. aureus biofilm formation (up to 96%) on the LC0024-Ti substrates compared to pristine titanium controls. Additionally, we found that the LC0024-Ti substrates did not affect the attachment and proliferation of human cells involved in osseointegration and bone repair. In summary, our results emphasize the clinical potential of covalent coatings of LC0024 on titanium implant surfaces to reduce the risk of orthopedic implant infections. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater 107B: 1908-1919, 2019., (© 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Biofilm-associated infections, particularly those caused by Staphylococcus aureus, are a major cause of implant failure. Covalent coupling of broad-spectrum antimicrobials to implants is a promising approach to reduce the risk of infections. In this study, we developed titanium substrates on which the recently discovered antibacterial agent SPI031, a N-alkylated 3, 6-dihalogenocarbazol 1-(sec-butylamino)-3-(3,6-dichloro-9H-carbazol-9-yl)propan-2-ol, was covalently linked (SPI031-Ti). We found that SPI031-Ti substrates prevent biofilm formation of S. aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa in vitro, as quantified by plate counting and fluorescence microscopy. To test the effectiveness of SPI031-Ti substrates in vivo, we used an adapted in vivo biomaterial-associated infection model in mice in which SPI031-Ti substrates were implanted subcutaneously and subsequently inoculated with S. aureus. Using this model, we found a significant reduction in biofilm formation (up to 98%) on SPI031-Ti substrates compared to control substrates. Finally, we demonstrated that the functionalization of the titanium surfaces with SPI031 did not influence the adhesion and proliferation of human cells important for osseointegration and bone repair. In conclusion, these data demonstrate the clinical potential of SPI031 to be used as an antibacterial coating for implants, thereby reducing the incidence of implant-associated infections. © 2016 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 34:2191-2198, 2016., (© 2016 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

While accumulating data on the direct anterior approach to total hip arthroplasty (THA) have demonstrated clinical benefit and durable results, there is little data that exists on patient-centered outcomes and satisfaction when comparing simultaneous bilateral procedures with staged arthroplasty. The aim of this study was to determine whether simultaneous bilateral THA and staged arthroplasty result in equivalent early (1) patient-centered outcomes and patient satisfaction; while maintaining acceptable rates of (2) objective clinical outcome scores, (2) complication rates; and (3) radiographic results. In retrospective review, 41 patients who underwent bilateral one-stage THA were compared to 44 patients who underwent staged bilateral THA during the same time period. The minimum clinical follow up was two years. Generic (EQ-VAS and EuroQoL-5D index) and condition-specific (Oxford Hip Score) instruments were used to assess patient-reported outcomes. Other variables included length of hospital stay (LOS), operative and anesthetic times, blood loss, intra- and post-operative (local and systemic) complications, and radiographic analysis. No significant differences between the two groups were found for patient-reported outcomes, complications, or radiographic assessment. The simultaneous THA group had shorter LOS and operative and anesthetic times, as well as less blood loss.

Objectives: Biofilm-associated implant infections represent a serious public health problem. Covalent immobilization of antimicrobial agents on titanium (Ti), thereby inhibiting biofilm formation of microbial pathogens, is a solution to this problem., Methods: Vancomycin (VAN) and caspofungin (CAS) were covalently bound on Ti substrates using an improved processing technique adapted to large-scale coating of implants. Resistance of the VAN-coated Ti (VAN-Ti) and CAS-coated Ti (CAS-Ti) substrates against in vitro biofilm formation of the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus and the fungal pathogen Candida albicans was determined by plate counting and visualized by confocal laser scanning microscopy. The efficacy of the coated Ti substrates was also tested in vivo using an adapted biomaterial-associated murine infection model in which control-Ti, VAN-Ti or CAS-Ti substrates were implanted subcutaneously and subsequently challenged with the respective pathogens. The osseointegration potential of VAN-Ti and CAS-Ti was examined in vitro using human bone marrow-derived stromal cells, and for VAN-Ti also in a rat osseointegration model., Results: In vitro biofilm formation of S. aureus and C. albicans on VAN-Ti and CAS-Ti substrates, respectively, was significantly reduced compared with biofilm formation on control-Ti. In vivo, we observed over 99.9% reduction in biofilm formation of S. aureus on VAN-Ti substrates and 89% reduction in biofilm formation of C. albicans on CAS-Ti substrates, compared with control-Ti substrates. The coated substrates supported osseointegration in vitro and in vivo., Conclusions: These data demonstrate the clinical potential of covalently bound VAN and CAS on Ti to reduce microbial biofilm formation without jeopardizing osseointegration., (© The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Purpose: The prevalence of joint hypermobility (JH) in patients with femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) and its association with outcomes is yet widely unknown. This study aimed to validate a self-reported version of the Beighton score for FAI patients, and to determine possible associations between JH and clinical and radiographic parameters., Methods: The study included 55 consecutive patients (18 females, mean age 29 years) with a diagnosis of FAI. Patients completed a self-reported Beighton score before clinical assessment, and a clinician blinded to the self-reported form filled the examiner-based version. Reliability of the self-reported version was assessed using kappa statistics. The prevalence of JH and associations with clinical and radiographic parameters were determined., Results: The patients scored a mean of 2.6 points on the self-reported Beighton score. Agreement between self-assessment and examination was good to excellent for all single items and for the total score. Considering a Beighton score of ≥4 as cutoff for JH, the prevalence in the present cohort was 32.7% (50% of females and 24.3% of males). Significant associations were found between Beighton scores and hip joint motion. While no direct correlations were found between Beighton scores and the radiographic parameters; the group of patients with JH differed considerably from that without JH regarding gender distribution and FAI type., Conclusions: The patient-oriented Beighton score proved to be feasible and reliable in FAI patients. The prevalence of JH in these patients seems to be high and future investigations about the association of JH with FAI and treatment outcomes are therefore warranted.

The aim of this study was to examine the association between match metabolic power (MP) categories and aerobic fitness in elite-level male soccer players. Seventeen male professional soccer players were tested for VO2max, maximal aerobic speed (MAS), VO2 at ventilatory threshold (VO2VT and %VO2VT), and speed at a selected blood lactate concentration (4 mmol·L(-1), V(L4)). Aerobic fitness tests were performed at the end of preseason and after 12 and 24 weeks during the championship. Aerobic fitness and MP variables were considered as mean of all seasonal testing and of 16 Championship home matches for all the calculations, respectively. Results showed that VO2max (from 0.55 to 0.68), MAS (from 0.52 to 0.72), VO2VT (from 0.72 to 0.83), %VO2maxVT (from 0.62 to 0.65), and V(L4) (from 0.56 to 0.73) were significantly (p < 0.05 to 0.001) large to very large associated with MP variables. These results provide evidence to the ecological validity of aerobic fitness in male professional soccer. Strength and conditioning professionals should consider aerobic fitness in their training program when dealing with professional male soccer players. The MP method resulted an interesting approach for tracking external load in male professional soccer players.

Successful return to play remains a challenge for a soccer player after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. In addition to a successful surgical intervention, a soccer-specific functional rehabilitation program is essential to achieve this goal. Soccer-like elements should be incorporated in the early stages of rehabilitation to provide neuromuscular training specific to the needs of the player. Gym-based and, later, field-based drills are gradually intensified and progressed until the player demonstrates the ability to return to team practice. In addition to the recovery of basic attributes such as mobility, flexibility, strength, and agility, the surgically repaired knee must also regain soccer-specific neuromuscular control and conditioning for an effective return to sports. The individual coaching of the player by the sports physiotherapist and compliance with the training program by the player are key factors in the rehabilitation process. To minimize reinjury risk and to maximize the player's career, concepts of soccer-specific injury prevention programs should be incorporated into the training routine during and after the rehabilitation of players post-ACL reconstruction.

Background: Second generation metal-on-metal total hip replacements (THR) were introduced in the late 1980s and various studies reported conflicting data on their outcome., Methods: Implant survival of 1,270 second-generation 28 mm metal-on-metal primary THR in 1,121 patients followed prospectively at a mean of 6.8 years postoperatively was evaluated retrospectively. The probability of survival at 10 years was estimated using the method of Kaplan and Meier, and relative risk factors including age, gender, BMI, type of implant fixation and component size were calculated using the Cox proportional-hazards model., Results: Sixty-three (5%) THRs were revised, these being 28 hips for aseptic loosening and 35 for reasons other than aseptic loosening. The probability of survival at 10 years, with revision for any reason as the endpoint, was 0.90 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.86-0.94) for the THR as a whole, 0.91 (95% CI 0.87-0.95) for the cup, and 0.96 (95% CI 0.94-0.98) for the stem. No demographic factors or covariates were found to significantly affect the implant survivorship., Discussion: As there was no superior probability of survival, and there have been concerns on putative local and systemic toxicity of metal debris, the use of second-generation metal-on-metal articulations for primary THR remains moot.

Background: Several mechanical derangements reportedly contribute to the development of noninflammatory arthritis of the hip. Diagnosis of these derangements involves the use of specific radiographic measures (eg, alpha angle, lateral center edge angle, cross-over sign). The reliability of some of these measures is not known, whereas others have not been confirmed., Questions/purposes: We examined the reproducibility of 20 radiographic parameters of the hip used in clinical practice., Methods: Twenty radiographic parameters on standardized digital AP and cross-table lateral radiographs were evaluated by two observers on two different occasions. The parameters were evaluated from the standpoint of reproducibility (reliability and agreement). The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), kappa coefficient, and standard error of measurement were calculated. The minimal detectable change was calculated where possible., Results: Interrater reliability ranged from 0.45 to 0.90 for ICC depending on the measure. Intrarater reliability ranged from 0.55 to 0.99. Measurements that could be measured directly (femoral head diameter) were more reliable than measurements requiring estimation on the part of the observer (Tönnis angle, neck-shaft angle). Categorical parameters had interrater and intrarater reliability kappa values greater than 0.90 for all parameters measured. Agreement between repeated measurements, as given by the minimal detectable change, showed many parameters with low absolute reliability have clinical use in the context of the large changes seen in clinical practice., Conclusion: Radiographic hip measures show clinical utility when evaluated from the perspective of agreement and reliability., Clinical Relevance: All measures investigated show clinical utility when evaluated from the perspective of reliability and agreement., Level of Evidence: Level III, diagnostic study. See Guidelines for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between popular endurance field tests and physical match performance in elite male youth soccer players. Eighteen young male soccer players (age 14.4 ± 0.1 years, height 1.67 ± 4.8 cm, body mass 53.6 ± 1.8 kg) were randomly chosen among a population of elite-level soccer players. Players were observed during international championship games of the corresponding age categories and randomly submitted to the level 1 of the Yo-Yo intermittent recovery test (Yo-Yo IR1), the Multistage Fitness Test (MSFT), and the Hoff test on separate occasions. Physical and physiological match demands were assessed using Global Positioning System technology and short-range telemetry (GPS Elite, Canberra, Australia), respectively. Players covered 6,087 ± 582 m (5,098-7,019 m) of which 15% (930 ± 362 m; 442-1,513) were performed as a high-intensity activity. During the first and second halves, players attained 86.8 ± 6.5 and 85.8 ± 5.8% of maximum heart rate (HRmax; p = 0.17) with peak HRs of 100 ± 2 and 99.4 ± 3.2% of HRmax, respectively. Players' Yo-Yo IR1 and MSFT performance were significantly related (r = 0.62-0.76) to a number of match physical activities. However, the Hoff test was only significantly related with sprint distance (r = 0.70, p = 0.04). The Yo-Yo IR1 showed a very large association with MSFT performance (r = 0.89, p < 0.0001). The results of this study showed that the Yo-Yo IR1 and MSFT may be regarded as valuable tests to assess match fitness and subsequently guide training prescription in youth soccer players. The very strong relationship between Yo-Yo IR1 and MSFT suggests their use according to the period of the season and the aerobic fitness level of the players. Because of the association of the Yo-Yo IR1 and MSFT with match physical performances, these tests should be considered in talent selection and development of players.

The aim of this study was to assess the criterion validity of a submaximal field test (Intermittent Shuttle-Running Test [ISRT]) for lactate threshold (LT) detection in young basketball players. Fourteen basketball players (age 15.3 +/- 0.6 years, height 182 +/- 4.6 cm, and body mass 71.6 +/- 6.3 kg) were submitted in random order and on separate occasions, to ISRT (20-m shuttle running for 4 minutes at 9, 10 and 11 kmxh-1) and to a treadmill intermittent progressive test (criterion validity, TM) devised for the assessment of LT (4-minute stages at 8, 10, 12, 14 kmxh-1). Blood-lactate concentrations [La]b were assessed taking earlobe blood samples at rest and immediately after each of the 4-minute running steps considered for ISRT and TM. Lactate threshold was considered as the running speed attained at 1 mmolxL-1 [La]b above resting levels. Results showed that speed at LT during ISRT and TM was significantly related (r = 0.82, p < 0.001). However, speed at LT during the ISRT showed to be significantly lower than the speed at LT during TM (10.1 +/- 1.7 vs. 12 +/- 2.3 kmxh-1, p < 0.001). During ISRT, players attained 80 +/- 4.7, 87 +/- 4.4, and 92 +/- 3.0% of maximal heart rate (HR) at 9, 10, and 11 kmxh-1, respectively. This study results show that ISRT may be used as a valid field test to assess submaximal aerobic fitness in young team-sport players. Continuous 20-m shuttle running performed at 11 km.h revealed to elicit HR in the range of those reported to induce aerobic-fitness development in trained subjects. In light of study finding, ISRT may be considered in testing batteries for basketball players to complement anaerobic fitness and agility.