FastFact

Sport-related concussion (SRC) may take longer to recover than previously thought

Sport-related concussion (SRC) may take longer to recover than previously thought

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It is often said that the majority of cases of SRC recover predictably within 7 to 10 days of injury. This prospective cohort study, from one of our FIFA Medical Centres of Excellence and published in this month’s edition of the CJSM, challenges this commonly held belief1. This week’s FastFact highlights a prospective cohort study [...]
Assessing variation in shoe-surface traction over one season of elite football

Assessing variation in shoe-surface traction over one season of elite football

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Foot fixation - or the feeling that studs are trapped on the grass during a rotational movement - is a mechanism commonly associated with injury to the anterior cruciate ligament in football. Despite this, little information exists regarding the magnitude of traction forces at the shoe-surface interface. This FastFact investigates how traction (grip) between the [...]
The MLG-R muscle injury classification for hamstrings

The MLG-R muscle injury classification for hamstrings

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Muscle injuries are very common in sport. Over the past decade several classification and grading systems for muscle injuries have been published. This FastFact highlights the MLG-R system that has been developed in collaboration with the FC Barcelona medical department1. A good classification system is necessary, which allows to have reliable epidemiological data, which are [...]
Optimising the late-stage rehabilitation and return-to-sport training and testing process after ACL reconstruction

Optimising the late-stage rehabilitation and return-to-sport training and testing process after ACL reconstruction

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Most football players who rupture their anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) undergo ACL reconstruction (ACLR) to restore knee stability and allow for return to play. However, outcomes after ACLR are often not ideal, in particular, there appears a high risk of re-injury while many players do not return to previous performance levels. This FastFact presents the [...]
Ankle dorsiflexion range of motion changes during a competitive season in professional players

Ankle dorsiflexion range of motion changes during a competitive season in professional players

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Several lower limb injuries, including lateral ankle sprains, anterior cruciate ligament ruptures and hamstring muscle injuries have been associated with restricted ankle dorsiflexion. This FastFact examines a paper which aimed to evaluate the acute (post-match) and chronic (throughout the season) effects of competition on ankle dorsiflexion range of motion in professional football players1. Restricted ankle [...]
Hamstring strength may not be a reliable predictor of readiness to return to play following hamstring injuries

Hamstring strength may not be a reliable predictor of readiness to return to play following hamstring injuries

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In elite soccer, muscle injuries represent 18% to 37% of all time-loss injuries and hamstring injuries have become the most common single injury. This paper investigates the utility of one of the most commonly used measures to guide return to play (RTP), muscle strength1. Hamstring strength is generally considered to be an important criterion when [...]
Pre-competition cardiac assessments do not identify all players at risk

Pre-competition cardiac assessments do not identify all players at risk

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The purpose of a pre-competition cardiac assessment is to detect cardiovascular disease at an early stage and to prevent sudden cardiac arrests and deaths. There is currently limited data on the cardiovascular outcomes for players classified as ‘being normal’ during this assessment. The objective of the paper included in this FastFact was to identify cardiovascular [...]
What is the risk of ACL injury while playing football?

What is the risk of ACL injury while playing football?

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ACL injuries are common, serious and can be career-threatening for football players. This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated twenty-eight studies of ACL injuries in male and female players and attempted to quantify the risk of ACL injuries for players of different genders and participation levels1. The results of the analysis showed that the incidence proportion [...]