SCAT3 changes from baseline and associations with X2 Patch measured head acceleration in amateur Australian football players
- Authors: Willmott, Catherine , McIntosh, Andrew , Howard, Teresa , Mitra, Biswadev , Dimech-Betancourt, Bleydy , Donovan, Jarrod , Rosenfeld, Jeffrey
- Date: 2018
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport Vol. 21, no. 5 (2018), p. 442-446
- Full Text: false
- Reviewed:
- Description: Objectives: To investigate changes from baseline on SCAT3 as a result of football game exposure, and association with X2 Patch measured head acceleration events in amateur Australian footballers. Design: Prospective cohort. Methods: Peak linear acceleration (PLA) of the head (>10 g) was measured by wearable head acceleration sensor X2 Biosystems X-Patch in male (n = 34) and female (n = 19) Australian footballers. SCAT3 was administered at baseline (B) and post-game (PG). Results: 1394 head acceleration events (HEA) >10 g were measured. Mean and median HEA PLA were recorded as 15.2 g (SD = 9.2, range = 10.0–115.8) and 12.4 g (IQR = 11.0–15.6) respectively. No significant difference in median HEA PLA (g) was detected across gender (p = 0.55), however, more HEAs were recorded in males (p = 0.03). A greater number (p = 0.004) and severity (p < 0.001) of symptoms were reported PG than at B. No significant association between number of HEA or median PLA, and SCAT3 change scores (p > 0.05 for all), was identified for either gender. Conclusions: Increase in symptom severity post game was not associated with X2 measured HEA. Males sustained more HEA, however HEA PLA magnitude did not differ across gender. Further work on the validation of head acceleration sensors is required and their role in sports concussion research and medical management. © 2017 Sports Medicine Australia
Quantification of Achilles and patellar tendon structure on imaging does not enhance ability to predict self-reported symptoms beyond grey-scale ultrasound and previous history
- Authors: Docking, Sean , Rio, Ebonie , Cook, Jill , Carey, David , Fortington, Lauren
- Date: 2019
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport Vol. 22, no. 2 (2019), p. 145-150
- Full Text: false
- Reviewed:
- Description: Background: Tendon pathology on imaging has been associated with an increased risk of developing symptoms. This evidence is based on classifying the tendon as normal or pathological. It is unclear whether the extent of tendon pathology is associated with the development or severity of symptoms. Objectives: To investigate whether the presence and extent of tendon pathology on ultrasound tissue characterisation (UTC), or a previous history of symptoms, were associated with the development of symptoms over a football season. Methods: 179 male Australian football players underwent UTC imaging of their Achilles and/or patellar tendon at the start of the pre-season. Players completed monthly OSTRC overuse questionnaires to quantify the presence and severity of Achilles and/or patellar tendon symptoms. Risk factor analysis was performed to identify associations between imaging and the development of symptoms. Results: A pathological Achilles tendon increased the risk of developing symptoms (RR = 3.2, 95%CI 1.7–5.9). Conversely, a pathological patellar tendon was not significantly associated with the development of symptoms (RR = 1.8, 95%CI 0.9–3.7). Quantification of tendon structure using UTC did not enhance the ability to identify athletes who developed symptoms. Previous history of symptoms was the strongest predictor for the development of symptoms (Achilles RR = 3.0 95%CI 1.8–4.8; patellar RR = 3.7 95%CI 2.2–6.1). Conclusion: Tendon pathology was associated with the development of self-reported symptoms; however previous history of symptoms was a stronger risk factor. The extent of disorganisation quantified by UTC should not be used as a marker for the presence or severity of current and future symptoms.
Online news media reporting of football-related fatalities in Australia : A matter of life and death
- Authors: Fortington, Lauren , Bekker, Sheree , Finch, Caroline
- Date: 2017
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport Vol. 21, no. 3 (2017), p. 245-249
- Full Text: false
- Reviewed:
- Description: Objectives: While deaths in sports settings are rare, they do occur. To develop an understanding of the sports and people most at risk, and to identify opportunities for prevention, routine and systematic data detailing the occurrence of these fatalities is required. There is currently no routine reporting of data of this nature in Australia. As there is often strong community interest in these incidents, the media offers an opportunity for surveillance. However before this can occur, understanding of the terminology used by the media is required. The aim of this study was to identify the terminology most frequently used in online Australian news media coverage of football-related deaths. Design: Retrospective review of online news media. Methods: Three databases were searched for online news media reports of people who died while participating in football (all football codes) in Australia. A descriptive analysis of terminology was undertaken to identify the common language applied. Results: Thirty-four football-related fatalities in Australia were identified between 2010-2016, via 149 separate articles. The most frequent terms identified in the media items were: Family; Club; Rugby; Football; Player; League; Died; Game; Death; Life; Loved; Hospital; Match; Young; Community; Playing; Friends; Sport; Heart; AFL [Australian Football League]. Conclusions: This study identified terminology used in reporting football-related fatalities in Australia, identifying common reference to terms relating to 'death' as metaphors and the frequent celebration of 'life.' The findings suggest that a reliance on researcher-generated terminology will be insufficient to reflect media discourse in prospective monitoring of sports deaths for surveillance.