Physical Therapy in Sport

Editorial Board

2010-02-01

Ten year celebration – A decade of progress for physical therapy in sport

Zoe Hudson — 2009-12-30

Welcome to the start of a new decade with the first issue of the eleventh volume of Physical Therapy in Sport, and it is timely to reflect on the 10 years since its inception in the current format. Physical Therapy in Sport has come a very long way in a relatively short space of time and has developed from a UK publication into a truly international one that is represented at every level from the Associate Editors. Editorial Committee, International Advisory Board, reviewers, authors and readers. In 2008 the journal was read online in 71 different countries, remarkable given that many developing countries still have limited online access. This obviously includes many countries where English is not the first language. Not only does it have an international audience Physical Therapy in Sport publishes international research, last year alone submissions came from 25 countries: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Hungary, Hong Kong, India, Iran, Israel, Italy, Japan, Korea, New Zealand, Portugal, Qatar, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States of America. A personal aim as editor has been, and continues to be, to encourage clinicians as well academics to publish by fostering collaborative links, and also to encourage publication by authors for whom English is not their first language.

Bracing does not improve dynamic stability in chronic ankle instability subjects

Phillip A. Gribble, Brittany L. Taylor, Junji Shinohara — 2009-12-07

Abstract: Objectives: To investigate the effects of an ankle brace on dynamic postural stability, measured with Time to Stabilization (TTS), in subjects with chronic ankle instability (CAI).Design: Two-within (Condition, Side) repeated measures.Setting: Research laboratory.Participants: Fifteen subjects with unilateral CAI.Main outcome measures: Subjects participated in two testing sessions during which a single-limb jump-landing task was performed with one of two conditions: lace-up ankle brace or no ankle brace. Ground reaction forces were used to calculate Resultant Vector TTS (RVTTS).Results: For RVTTS, there were no statistically significant main effects for Side (F1,14 = 1.005; p = 0.33) or Condition (F1,14 = 2.48; p = 0.14), as well as no significant interaction effect (F1,14 = 1.67; p = 0.22).Conclusion: While TTS is a useful outcome tool for identifying deficits in subjects with CAI and improvements related to ankle rehabilitation, this measure of dynamic stability does not appear to be sensitive in detecting the influence of the application of an ankle brace in this pathological group. Researchers need to establish what other testing methods will be the best for determining the outcome of the application of an ankle brace in the laboratory setting to coincide with the epidemiology data that support the use of these devices.

Shoulder functional ratio in elite junior tennis players

2009-12-11

Abstract: Objective: To evaluate shoulder rotation strength and compare the functional ratio between shoulders of elite junior tennis players.Design: This cross-sectional study evaluated muscular rotation performance of 40 junior tennis players (26 male and 14 female) with an isokinetic dynamometer.Main outcome measures: Strength variables of external (ER) and internal rotators (IR) in concentric and eccentric modes were considered. For the peak torque functional ratio, the eccentric strength of the ER and the concentric strength of the IR were calculated.Results: All variables related to IR were significantly higher on the dominant compared to the non-dominant side in males and females (p<0.05), but only boys exhibited this dominance effect in ER (p<0.05 and p<0.001). Regarding functional ratios, they were significantly lower for the dominant shoulder (p<0.001) and below 1.00 for both groups, indicating that the eccentric strength of the ER was not greater than the concentric strength of the IR.Conclusion: Elite junior tennis players without shoulder injury have shoulder rotation muscle strength imbalances that alter the normal functional ratio between rotator cuff muscles. Although these differences do not seem to affect the athletic performance, detection and prevention with exercise programs at an early age are recommended.

Bilateral difference in hamstrings to quadriceps ratio in healthy males and females

Pui W. Kong, Stephen F. Burns — 2009-10-23

Abstract: Objective: To compare the isometric and isokinetic hamstrings to quadriceps (H:Q) ratio 1) between the dominant (D) and non-dominant (ND) legs, and 2) between healthy males and females.Design: Cross-sectional.Setting: University research laboratory. Quadriceps and hamstrings strength were assessed by maximum isometric contractions at six angles (40°, 50°, 60°, 70°, 80°, 90°) and concentric contractions at three angular velocities (60°s−1, 180°s−1, 300°s−1).Participants: Forty physically active adults (25 males).Main outcome measures: Peak isometric and isokinetic torques of the quadriceps and hamstrings, and the corresponding H:Q ratios.Results: Isometric H:Q ratio increased with greater knee extension (P<0.001), with overall a higher ratio in the D leg (P<0.001). Isokinetic H:Q ratio increased with angular velocity (P<0.001), with a higher ratio in the D leg (P<0.05). Neither isometric nor isokinetic H:Q ratios differed between males and females.Conclusions: When setting rehabilitation goals, it may be appropriate to adjust the H:Q ratio and leg strength based on the uninvolved leg with consideration of leg dominance. Gender-related differences do not explain the discrepancy in the literature regarding bilateral differences in the H:Q ratio. Other subject characteristics such as age and training may be more relevant.

Evaluation of shoulder joint position sense in both asymptomatic and rehabilitated professional rugby players and matched controls

Lee Herrington, Ian Horsley, Christer Rolf — 2009-11-23

Abstract: Objective: To assess if joint position sense (JPS) in the shoulder differed between un-injured rugby players, matched control subjects and previously injured rehabilitated rugby players.Design: Mixed design.Setting: University biomechanics laboratory.Participants: 15 asymptomatic professional rugby union players, 15 previously injured professional rugby union players, 15 asymptomatic matched non-rugby playing controls had their JPS assessed.Main outcome measures: JPS was assessed using two criterion angles in the 90° shoulder abduction position (45° and 80° external rotation).Results: The study found a significant difference between groups in error score (p=0.02). The testing angle also had a significant effect on error score (p=0.002), with greater error scores occurring in the mid range position.Conclusion: This study showed rugby players to have better JPS than controls, indicating JPS might not be related to injury risk. Poor JPS appears to be related to injury, players having sustained an injury have decreased JPS despite surgery and/or rehabilitation and returning to sport without incident.

A preliminary development of the Re-Injury Anxiety Inventory (RIAI)

Natalie Walker, Joanne Thatcher, David Lavallee — 2009-10-30

Abstract: Objectives: The present paper outlines the initial development of an instrument to measure re-injury anxiety.Methods: Face, content and factorial validity were examined over three stages of exploratory factor analyses.Participants: 248 injured sport participants completed the scale.Results: A 28-item measure was produced to measure re-injury anxiety, comprising of two factors: re-injury anxieties regarding rehabilitation (RIA-R: 15 items) and re-injury anxieties regarding returning to training/competition (RIA-RE: 13 items). These two factors accounted for 80.56% of the total variance. The internal consistency for both factors was above the .70 criterion value; rehabilitation re-injury anxiety (alpha=.98); re-entry into competition re-injury anxiety (alpha=.96).Conclusions: Future research needs to test the proposed 2-factor model presented in the current research using confirmatory factor analysis.

Medial contact and smaller plantar loads characterize individuals with Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome during stair descent

2009-12-14

Abstract: Objectives: To investigate plantar pressure distribution in individuals with and without Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome during the support phase of stair descent.Design: Observational case–control study.Participants: 30 young adults with Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome and 44 matched controls.Main outcome measures: Contact area, peak pressure and pressure–time integral (Novel Pedar-X system) were evaluated in six plantar areas (medial, central and lateral rearfoot; midfoot; medial and lateral forefoot) during stair descent.Results: Contact area was greater in the Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome Group at medial rearfoot (p = 0.019) and midfoot (p < 0.001). Subjects with Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome presented smaller peak pressures (p < 0.001).Conclusion: The pattern of plantar pressure distribution during stair descent in Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome subjects was different from controls. This seems to be related to greater medial rearfoot and midfoot support. Smaller plantar loads found in Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome subjects during stair descent reveal a more cautious motor pattern in a challenging task.

The physiotherapist's pocket guide to exercise assessment, prescription and training

Nicki Combarro — 2009-09-07

This book ‘does what it says on the tin’. The pocket guide is marketed as a handy reference for clinicians and students in their daily practice and in a class room environment and provides essential information for physiotherapists with regard to exercise prescription across a wide variety of clinical scenarios.

Diary dates

2010-02-01

2010 19–21 February