• Ten Things that Can Cause an Asthma Attack

    Posted by Orthopaedic Specialists

    asthma attackAsthma is a common condition that, according to the National Center for Environmental Health, strikes upwards  of 1 in 11 children and 1 in 12 adults.

    Asthma rates in Louisville are even higher than the national average with 13% of adults in Jefferson County reported to have the condition, based on BRFSS data.

    Asthma is a challenging disease that makes breathing difficult. When a person experiences an asthma attack, there is inflammation in the airways in their lungs, which causes breathing problems.

    An asthma attack can vary in severity from more moderate to very severe. In the most extreme cases, people can even die from the condition.

    Common symptoms associated with  an asthma attack include wheezing, coughing and difficulty breathing. People experiencing an asthma attack also sometimes feel chest pain. (more…)

    Common Running Injuries Plaguing Runners

    Posted by Orthopaedic Specialists

    common running injuriesIf you are an experienced runner gearing up for a fall race, or new to the sport and hoping to build up your mileage, learning about common running injuries is an important way to get thinking about injury prevention.

    A team of researchers led by Dr. Alexandre Dias Lopes and colleagues published study results about major musculoskeletal injuries runners experience to understand how typical these common running injuries are.

    Looking at data covering around 3,500 runners, researchers found that three of the most common running injuries were:

    1. Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome
    2. Achilles Tendinopathy
    3. Plantar Fasciitis

    For those running very long distances like ultra-marathoners, Achilles tendinopathy was the most common type of musculoskeletal injury experienced, followed by Patellofemoral syndrome.

    Achilles tendinopathy is a painful condition that occurs in your Achilles tendon area where your calf muscles and heel bone are connected. It tends to be quite uncomfortable and may be accompanied by swelling and a stiff feeling. (more…)

    Acrobatic Gymnastics Injury, and Sports Injuries from Trampoline and Tumbling

    Posted by Orthopaedic Specialists

    Sports Injuries like Gymnastics InjuryScientific researchers led by Grapton and Colleagues (2013) looked at sports injuries like gymnastics injury, trampoline injuries and injuries from tumbling over a 5 year period of time.

    Researchers specifically analyzed data on 357 traumatic injury events to understand a variety of factors including the following:

    1. Type of accident
    2. Level of athletic expertise
    3. Location of the sports / gymnastics injury
    4. Bodily tissue injured
    5. Possible external factors involved in the injury incident.

    Injuries from acrobatic sports like gymnastic injury tended to be concentrated on the lower limbs and were predominantly ligament injuries. Injuries to the knees and forearms were more commonly associated with individuals engaged in using the trampoline. Tumblers were more likely, in contrast, to suffer from some type of ankle injury, sprain or fracture.

    Those engaged in acrobatic gymnastics or “ACRO” –were more likely than others to experience some type of gymnastics injury to the wrist.  Both trampoline and ACRO (more…)

    Does a Sports Injury like an ACL Tear Mean the End of Competitive Play for Pro Athletes?

    Posted by Orthopaedic Specialists

    acl tear and acl injury during competitive sports

    ACL Tear and Other Sports Injuries Play Key Role in Ending Sports Career for Some Athletes

    Researchers in Finland published interesting findings in the European Journal of Sports Science (2012) led by Ristolainen and colleagues that sports injuries like an ACL tear may radically alter the direction of an athlete’s career.

    In a study specifically aimed at understanding the link between sports career termination and sports injury, researchers looked at 574 male and female athletes in Finland. These included swimmers, runners, soccer players and skiers. Approximately 5% of the participants reported ending their athletic career because of a sports injury like an ACL tear.  (more…)

    Baseball Injury and Softball Injuries include Ball-Related Facial Fractures

    Posted by Orthopaedic Specialists

    baseball injury includes ball-related facial fracturesBaseballs and Softballs Linked to Facial Fractures – Sometimes kids suffer from a sports injury like a baseball injury or injuries from softball involving a facial fracture.

    A study published in the Journal of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery led by Dr. Lorelei Grunwaldt and colleagues in Pittsburgh at the Children’s Hospital looked at around 167 kids treated for a fracture due to a sports injury.

    About 11% of the fractures to the face were due to some type of sports injury. About four out of five kids treated for a facial fracture were boys. The majority of patients were between the age of 12 and 15 years. Many of these facial injuries which included:

    1. Broken noses
    2. Fractures to the eye area
    3. Fractures to the skull, happened as a result of a ball-related trauma.

    Typically baseballs or softballs caused this type of dramatic trauma. Most commonly the kids experienced a baseball injury or one from softball while fielding some type of line drive. Other sports leading to facial fractures included basketball, football and soccer. (more…)

    Labral Hip Injury among Rowers

    Posted by Orthopaedic Specialists

    Labral Hip Injury Common Among RowersDr. Robert Boykin and colleages (2013) published research in Clinical Orthopedics on hip injuries including labral hip injury among rowers.

    Recognized as one of the first sports to be included in the Olympics, rowing is a rigorous sport where a team of racers in boats competes against other teams on rivers, lakes and even sometimes the ocean, using oars to propel the boats forward.

    Analyzing data from 2003 through 2010, the analysis for this research included 21 hips. The average age of study participants was 18 ½ years old. The  majority of the sample (around 85%) was comprised of females. Many of the patients (over 70%) experienced some type of pain in their groin area.

    Approximately 18 patients had arthroscopic surgery for this painful hip injury. Following surgery, 10 out of 18 returned to competitive rowing while the rest did not. Rowing requires a lot of repetitive motion in the hip. This repetitive motion can lead to an overuse injury like a labral hip injury.

    Other athletes that may be vulnerable to labral tears in the hip area leading to labral hip injury include soccer, golf, ballet dancers and hockey players. (more…)

    Youth Sports Injuries: An Examination of Overuse Injuries and Trauma

    Posted by Orthopaedic Specialists

    Youth Sports Injuries and Overuse Injury vs. Traumatic InjuryAs published in the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports, E. Jesperson and colleagues (2013) conducted a cohort study to understand youth sports injuries. Researchers specifically looked at the incidence of traumatic and overuse injuries in kids ages 6 to 12 years.

    The research on youth sports injuries was conducted over a 2 ½ year period.  Traumatic injuries tended to be more common than overuse. Over a one week period, injury incidence in the sample was 1.2% (overuse) and 4.6% (traumatic).

    Researchers found some interesting differences between overuse and traumatic youth sports injuries. Overuse injuries were 2.5 times more likely to affect lower extremities than traumatic injuries (for example, this includes legs, ankles, feet, and knees). (more…)

    Golf Injury and the Upper Body

    Posted by Orthopaedic Specialists

    Golf Injury and Injury PreventionWith an estimated 60 million people participating in golf world wide, researchers led by Dr. Michael Cohen and colleagues looked at golf related injuries to understand common golf injury patterns and prevention.

    Some causes of injuries in golfers include the following:

    • Overplaying the game
    • Problems with the golf swing
    • Hitting the ground
    • Golf Injury from Over-swinging
    • Not warming up enough before competitive play
    • Twisting while hitting the golf ball
    • Falling on the course
    • Bending while putting
    • Cart related injuries
    • Injuries from getting hit by the ball

    While the game of golf is sometimes viewed as less physically rigorous, the fact is that golfers may experience a wide range of sports related injuries. Sports injuries associated with golf may include shoulder injuries, acromioclavicular joint injuries, impingement (more…)

    Sports Injuries – Comparing Children and Teens with Sports Injuries

    Posted by Orthopaedic Specialists

    Sports InjuriesSports Injuries in Kids – Researchers Compare Young Children with Teens – Sports injuries are very common among children, and a concern to parents, coaches and doctors.

    Sometimes when we talk about sports injuries and kids, we refer to kids as a group as though they are all the same. New research is looking more closely at sports injuries for specific age ranges among youth and finding notable differences.

    Researchers led by Stracciolini (2013) and colleagues compared sports injuries that young children experience with those experienced by older kids. Teens between 13 and 17 were more likely to experience an injury to the spine, chest and hip or pelvis area. Older children also comprised a greater proportion of those experiencing injuries caused by overuse.

    Compared to younger kids, older children were also more likely to be diagnosed with soft tissue injuries. Other sports injuries more likely to affect older kids than younger included: ACL injuries, torn meniscus, and spondylolysis.

    In comparison, younger kids were more likely to experience certain sports injuries like fractures including physeal fractures, apophysitis, and osteochondritis dissecans, compared to older kids. (more…)

    Triathlon Training and Swimming Injuries – Learn more from Sports Medicine Doctor

    Posted by Orthopaedic Specialists

    swimming injuries and triathlon trainingTriathlon Training? Be Aware of Overuse Injuries and Swimming Injuries including Shoulder Injury during Triathlon Training.

    Researchers Bales and Bales (2012) looked at swimming injuries caused by overuse among those engaged in triathlon training. Their research on swimming injuries caused by overuse was published in the Sports Medicine and Arthroscopy Review.

    Noting that many researchers focus on triathlon training injuries from biking and running, this focus on swimming is also significant. (more…)