Yudu - sportEX dynamics - 1999-2010

JOURNAL WATCH Journal Watch SELF-REPORTED ANABOLIC-ANDROGENIC STEROIDS USE AND

MUSCULOSKELETAL INJURIES: FINDINGS FROM. Horn S, Gregory P, Guskiewicz KM. American Journal of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 2009;88:192– 200

The relationship between musculoskeletal injuries and anabolic-androgenic steroids is not well understood. The purpose of this study was to investigate the association

between self-reported anabolic-androgenic steroids use and the prevalence of musculoskeletal injuries in a unique group of retired professional football players. A general health questionnaire was completed by 2,552 retired professional football players

between 2001 and 2003. Results of self-reported musculoskeletal injuries were compared with the use of anabolic-androgenic steroids. Results: 9.1% reported using anabolic-androgenic steroids during their professional career. A total of 16.3% of all offensive line and 14.8% of all defensive line players reported using anabolic- androgenic steroids. (These are the big guys on the team.) Self-reported anabolic-androgenic steroids use was associated significantly with the following self-reported, medically diagnosed joint and cartilaginous injuries in comparison with the non-anabolic-androgenic steroids users: disc herniations, knee ligamentous/meniscal injury, elbow injuries, neck stinger/burner, spine injury, and foot/toe/ankle injuries. There was no association between anabolic-androgenic steroids use and reported muscle/tendon injuries.

sportEX comment

US professional sport seems to have lagged behind the rest of the world when it comes to recognising performance-enhancing drug use, but it has had a wake-up call in recent months. The star baseball player Alex Rodriguez has admitted steroid abuse, and Balco, the San Francisco drug laboratory, has been exposed as a supplier of growth hormone to a number of leading athletes. This report demonstrates not only considerable drug abuse in the National Football League but that an association may exist between anabolic-androgenic steroids use and the prevalence of reported musculoskeletal injury, particularly ligamentous/joint-related injuries.

ELECTROMYOGRAPHY AND KINEMATICS OF THE TRUNK DURING ROWING IN ELITE FEMALE ROWERS. Pollock CL, Jenkyn TR, Jones IC, et al. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise 2009;41:628–636

Nine rowing Canada national team candidates performed a 2000m race simulation. Electromyographical (EMG) activity of spinal and pelvic extensor and flexor muscles and kinematic data of the pelvis and the spine were collected and analysed during the period of peak force production. Pelvic and spinal extensor muscles demonstrated similarities in the timing of muscle activity with minimal co-activation of flexors and extensors. Minimal excursion of spinal segments occurred during the stroke, with most of the extension occurring at the pelvis. Flexor activity occurred towards late drive, suggesting that trunk extension is slowed by increasing activity of the flexor muscles. Of the spinal segments, L3–S1 showed the most movement

sportEX comment

This has implications for muscle balance training. In particular, the greater movement recorded at the lower spinal and sacral segments may make the area more susceptible to soft-tissue injury, which could potentially be prevented with focused attention.

DOES THE USE OF ORTHOSES IMPROVE

SELF-REPORTED PAIN AND FUNCTION MEASURES IN PATIENTS WITH PLANTAR FASCIITIS? A META-

ANALYSIS. Lee SY, McKeon P, Hertel J. Physical Therapy in Sport 2009;10:12–18

The major databases MEDLINE, SPORTDiscus and CINAHL were searched from their inception until December 2007 using the terms “foot”, “plantar fascia”, “arch”, “orthotic”, “orthoses” and “plantar fasciitis”. Original research studies that met the following criteria were included: (i) randomised controlled trials or prospective cohort designs; (ii) patients were suffering from plantar fasciitis at the time of recruitment; (iii) the study evaluated the efficacy of foot orthoses with self-reported pain and/or function; (iv) means, standard deviations and sample size of each group were reported. The meta-analysis results showed significant reductions in pain after orthotic intervention.

sportEX comment This does what it says on the tin. The use of foot orthoses in patients with plantar fasciitis appears to be associated with reduced pain and increased function.