FastFact

Should clinical practice guidelines for rehabilitation after anterior cruciate ligament injury be standardised?

Should clinical practice guidelines for rehabilitation after anterior cruciate ligament injury be standardised?

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The ultimate goal of rehabilitation after a football player gets an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction is to manage instability and to enable a successful return to the pitch at the pre-injury level of performance. Clinicians follow specific stepwise progression rehabilitation criteria and should rely on several clinical, subjective, objective and functional criteria to base [...]
Are isometric exercises a good treatment for tendinopathy ?

Are isometric exercises a good treatment for tendinopathy ?

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This edition of the FastFact highlights an editorial, rather than original research, which has prompted an interesting online argument (look for the @BJSM_BMJ Twitter account) about a common clinical problem1. The editorial highlights that while isometric exercise has become a very popular treatment for the management of acute tendinopathy, the evidence for this approach is [...]
Addressing potential barriers for footballers seeking care for mental health symptoms

Addressing potential barriers for footballers seeking care for mental health symptoms

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This FastFact highlights the recently published International Olympic Committee (IOC) consensus statement on the mental health of athletes1. While this comprehensive review gives an overview of the issues relating to the mental health of elite athletes, this FastFact investigates some of the barriers to footballers seeking help when problems arise. Mental health symptoms are often [...]
Taping, bracing and exercise can all help prevent ankle sprains

Taping, bracing and exercise can all help prevent ankle sprains

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This FastFact showcases a clinical guideline which explores the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of lateral ankle sprains. It was created by a multi-disciplinary team of experts and is evidence-based1. Ankle sprains are among the most common injuries in football. They can have significant morbidity and can be associated with recurring instability. One of the stated [...]
Want to reduce the risk of hamstring injuries by half?

Want to reduce the risk of hamstring injuries by half?

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This systematic review and meta-analysis provides further evidence that incorporating Nordic hamstring exercises (NHE) into an injury prevention programme reduces the risk of hamstring injuries by more than half – in different sports and at different levels of sport1. Hamstring injuries are the most common muscle injury across varying sports (including football). They can cause [...]
Is heavy eccentric calf training the best treatment for Achilles tendinopathy?

Is heavy eccentric calf training the best treatment for Achilles tendinopathy?

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Heavy eccentric calf training is a common treatment for mid-portion Achilles tendinopathy, however this systematic review and meta-analysis suggests the evidence supporting this is low and the true beneficial effect has not been well established. Strengthening programmes appear useful but other regimes may be at least as effective1. Mid-portion Achilles tendinopathy is often seen in [...]
Female players who injure their anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) are five times more likely to re-injure their knee and are more likely to quit football.

Female players who injure their anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) are five times more likely to re-injure their knee and are more likely to quit football.

1 comment
This prospective study compared female players who underwent an ACL reconstruction (ACLR) with their healthy peers. The authors found that the players who had an ACLR were both more likely to re-injure their knee and to quit playing football1. Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries are a common problem in football players with female players having [...]
Do platelet-rich plasma or hyaluronic acid intra-articular injections work better for treating knee osteoarthritis?

Do platelet-rich plasma or hyaluronic acid intra-articular injections work better for treating knee osteoarthritis?

12 comments
Injections are commonly used to treat knee pain in football. This randomised controlled trial from the American Journal of Sports Medicine compares two of the more common types of injection, platelet rich plasma (PRP) and hyaluronic acid (HA) and found little difference between the two options at five-year follow-up1. Osteoarthritis (OA) commonly occurs in footballers [...]