Description:
Objectives: To present the first comprehensive epidemiological profile of hospital-treated injuries sustained by female cricketers from 2002-2003 to 2013-2014 in Victoria, Australia. Design: Analysis of routinely collected hospital data (detailed case-series). Methods: A retrospective analysis of hospital-treatment data associated with cricket injuries sustained by women between 1 July 2002 and 30 June 2014, inclusive were extracted from databases held by the Victorian Injury Surveillance Unit in Australia. Results: Over the 12-year period, 668 cases were treated in Victoria. Of these, 547 were emergency department (ED)-presentations. There were 121 hospital-admissions, of which, the length of stay was <2 days for 78.5% cases. All cases were treated and released, and no fatalities were reported. The 10-14 year age group most frequently presented to ED (19.9%) and were most commonly admitted to hospital (16.5% of the total admissions). Fractures were the most common cause of hospital-admissions (47.1%) but only accounted for 17.2% of the ED-presentations. Dislocations, sprains and strains, were the most common (36.4%) cause of ED-presentations. The head was the most commonly injured anatomical location (27.8% of ED-presentations and 28.1% of hospital-admissions), followed by the wrist and hand (27.8% ED-presentations and 17.4% hospital-admissions). Conclusions: These findings provide the first overview of the nature of injuries requiring hospital attendance in female cricketers, and a foundation to inform the development of targeted injury prevention programs for female cricketers. (C) 2019 Sports Medicine Australia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
The incidence and burden of hospital-treated sports-related injury in people aged 15+ years in Victoria, Australia, 2004-2010 : A future epidemic of osteoarthritis?
Description:
Background: Hip arthroscopy is now commonly used to treat hip pain and pathology, including osteoarthritis (OA). Despite this, little is known about the effect of hip arthroscopy on outcomes of pain and function and progression to total hip arthroplasty (THA) in hip OA. Questions/purposes: This systematic review aimed to (1) determine pain and function outcomes after hip arthroscopy in people with hip OA; (2) compare the outcome after hip arthroscopy between people with and without hip OA; and (3) report the likelihood of progression to THA in patients with hip OA after hip arthroscopy. Methods: This review was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA statement. The Downs and Black checklist was used for quality appraisal. Studies scoring positively on at least 50% of items were included in final analyses. Standardized mean differences (SMDs) were calculated where possible or study conclusions are presented. Results: Twenty-two studies were included in the final analyses. Methodological quality and followup time varied widely. Moderate to large SMDs were reported for people with and without hip OA; however, the positive effects of the intervention were smaller for people with hip OA. Greater severity of hip OA and older age each predicted more rapid progression to THA. Conclusions: Patients with hip OA report positive outcomes from hip arthroscopy, although observed positive effects may be inflated as a result of methodological limitations of the included studies. Patients with hip OA had inferior results compared with those who did not. Chondropathy severity and patient age were associated with a higher risk and more rapid progression to THA. High-quality comparative studies are required to confirm the effects of hip arthroscopy on symptoms and structural change in people with hip OA.
Description:
The risk of post-traumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA) substantially increases following joint injury. Research efforts should focus on investigating the efficacy of preventative strategies in high quality randomized controlled trials (RCT). The objective of these OARSI RCT recommendations is to inform the design, conduct and analytical approaches to RCTs evaluating the preventative effect of joint injury prevention strategies. Recommendations regarding the design, conduct, and reporting of RCTs evaluating injury prevention interventions were established based on the consensus of nine researchers internationally with expertise in epidemiology, injury prevention and/or osteoarthritis (OA). Input and resultant consensus was established through teleconference, face to face and email correspondence over a 1 year period. Recommendations for injury prevention RCTs include context specific considerations regarding the research question, research design, study participants, randomization, baseline characteristics, intervention, outcome measurement, analysis, implementation, cost evaluation, reporting and future considerations including the impact on development of PTOA. Methodological recommendations for injury prevention RCTs are critical to informing evidence-based practice and policy decisions in health care, public health and the community. Recommendations regarding the interpretation and conduct of injury prevention RCTs will inform the highest level of evidence in the field. These recommendations will facilitate between study comparisons to inform best practice in injury prevention that will have the greatest public health impact.
Implementation of concussion guidelines in community Australian Football and Rugby League - The experiences and challenges faced by coaches and sports trainers
Description:
Aim: To explore the effects of exercise (water-based or land-based) and/or manual therapies on pain in adults with clinically and/or radiographically diagnosed hip osteoarthritis (OA). Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis was performed, with patient reported pain assessed using a visual analogue scale (VAS) or the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index (WOMAC) pain subscale. Data were grouped by follow-up time (0-3 months=short term; 4-12 months=medium term and; >12 months=long term), and standardised mean differences (SMD) with 95% CIs were used to establish intervention effect sizes. Study quality was assessed using modified PEDro scores. Results: 19 trials were included. Four studies showed short-term benefits favouring water-based exercise over minimal control using the WOMAC pain subscale (SMD -0.53, 95% CI -0.96 to -0.10). Six studies supported a short-term benefit of land-based exercise compared to minimal control on VAS assessed pain (SMD -0.49, 95% CI -0.70 to -0.29). There were no medium (SMD -0.23, 95% CI -0.48 to 0.03) or long (SMD -0.22, 95% CI -0.51 to 0.06) term benefits of exercise therapy, or benefit of combining exercise therapy with manual therapy (SMD -0.38, 95% CI -0.88 to 0.13) when compared to minimal control. Conclusions: Best available evidence indicates that exercise therapy (whether land-based or water-based) is more effective than minimal control in managing pain associated with hip OA in the short term. Larger highquality RCTs are needed to establish the effectiveness of exercise and manual therapies in the medium and long term.
Description:
Objectives: Physiotherapists promote physical activity as part of their practice. This study reviewed the behaviour change techniques physiotherapists use when promoting physical activity in experimental and observational studies. Design: Systematic review of experimental and observational studies. Methods: Twelve databases were searched using terms related to physiotherapy and physical activity. We included experimental studies evaluating the efficacy of physiotherapist-led physical activity interventions delivered to adults in clinic-based private practice and outpatient settings to individuals with, or at risk of, non-communicable diseases. Observational studies reporting the techniques physiotherapists use when promoting physical activity were also included. The behaviour change techniques used in all studies were identified using the Behaviour Change Technique Taxonomy. The behaviour change techniques appearing in efficacious and inefficacious experimental interventions were compared using a narrative approach. Results: Twelve studies (nine experimental and three observational) were retained from the initial search yield of 4141. Risk of bias ranged from low to high. Physiotherapists used seven behaviour change techniques in the observational studies, compared to 30 behaviour change techniques in the experimental studies. Social support (unspecified) was the most frequently identified behaviour change technique across both settings. Efficacious experimental interventions used more behaviour change techniques (n = 29) and functioned in more ways (n = 6) than did inefficacious experimental interventions (behaviour change techniques = 10 and functions = 1). Conclusions: Physiotherapists use a small number of behaviour change techniques. Less behaviour change techniques were identified in observational studies compared to experimental studies, suggesting physiotherapists use less BCTs clinically than experimentally.
Description:
Objective: The aims of this study were to i) to compare physical impairments in people with chondrolabral pathology identified at hip arthroscopy 12-24 months previously to age-matched healthy people; and ii) to understand whether gendersex has any influence on impairments. Methods: 84 patients (42 female; age=36±10) 12-24 months post hip arthroscopy and 60 controls (41 female; age=36±10) were included. Measurements of active hip ROM and strength were assessed. Two-way analyses of co-variance examined the effect of gendersex and chondrolabral pathology on hip ROM and strength. Results: Patients exhibited less hip internal rotation (IR) ROM (p=0.001) and more extension (p=0.014) ROM; and less hip adduction (p<0.001), extension (p=0.001), flexion (p<0.001), ER (p=0.044) and IR (p<0.001) strength when compared to controls. For abduction strength, a significant interaction was found between the presence of chondrolabral pathology and gendersex (p=0.035). Conclusions: People with hip chondrolabral pathology have differences in hip ROM and strength when compared to controls. Rehabilitation programs should focus on addressing these specific physical impairments in order to enhance outcomes. This information may be of great value to both researchers and clinicians alike in determining interventions to improve outcomes in people with early hip OA.
Description:
If physical impairments that are associated with poorer outcomes can be identified in people with chondrolabral hip pathology, then rehabilitation programmes that target such modifiable impairments could potentially be established to improve quality of life. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between quality-of-life PROs and physical impairment measurements in people with chondrolabral pathology post-hip arthroscopic surgery. This was a cross-sectional study where multiple stepwise linear regression analyses were conducted to determine which physical impairment measurements were most associated with poorer quality-of-life patient-reported outcomes (PROs). Eighty-four patients (42 women; all aged 36 +/- 10 years) with hip chondrolabral pathology 12- to 24-month post-hip arthroscopy were included. The Hip disability and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score Quality-of-life (HOOS-Q) subscale and International Hip Outcome Tool (IHOT-33) PROs were collected. Measurements of active hip ROM and strength were assessed. Modifiable post-surgical physical impairments were associated with PRO in patients with chondrolabral pathology. Greater hip flexion ROM was independently associated with better scores in both HOOS-Q and IHOT-33 (adjusted r (2) values ranged from 0.249 to 0.341). Greater hip adduction strength was independently associated with better HOOS-Q and IHOT-33 (adjusted r (2) 0.227-0.317). Receiver Operator Curve analyses determined that the limit value for hip flexion ROM was 100A degrees (sensitivity 92 %, specificity 75 %), and hip adduction strength was 0.86 Nm/kg (sensitivity 96 %, specificity 70 %). Hip flexion ROM and adduction strength were associated with better quality-of-life PRO scores in patients with chondrolabral pathology 12- to 24-month post-hip arthroscopy. These impairments could be targeted by clinicians designing rehabilitation programmes to this patient group.
Description:
STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. BACKGROUND: Functional task performance in patients with chondrolabral pathology following hip arthroscopy is unknown. OBJECTIVES: To investigate in people with chondrolabral pathology following hip arthroscopy (1) the bilateral differences in functional task performance compared to controls, (2) the association of hip muscle strength with functional task performance, and (3) the association of functional task performance scores with good outcome, as measured by International Hip Outcome Tool score. METHODS: Seventy-one patients who had unilateral hip arthroscopy for hip pain and 60 controls were recruited. Patient-reported outcomes included the 4 subscales of the International Hip Outcome Tool. Hip muscle strength measures included abduction, adduction, extension, flexion, external rotation, and internal rotation. Functional tasks assessed included the single hop test, the side bridge test, and the single-leg rise test. For aim 1, analyses of covariance tests were used. For aim 2, stepwise multiple linear regression analyses were used. For aim 3, receiver operating characteristic curve analyses were used. RESULTS: Compared to controls, the chondrolabral pathology group had significantly worse performance on both legs for each of the functional tasks (P<.001). Greater hip abduction strength was moderately associated with better performance on functional tasks in the chondrolabral pathology group (adjusted R' range, 0.197-0.407; P<.001). Cutoff values associated with good outcome were 0.37 (hop distance/height) for the single hop, 16 repetitions for the single-leg rise, and 34 seconds for the side bridge test. CONCLUSION: Patients with hip chondrolabral pathology had reduced functional task performance bilaterally 12 to 24 months after unilateral hip arthroscopy when compared to controls.
Description:
Objectives: Incidence, prevalence, nature, severity and mechanisms of injury in elite female cricketers over two seasons from March 2014 to March 2016, inclusive. Design: Prospective cohort study. Methods: Injury data collected via Cricket Australia's Athlete Management System on all elite female players over two seasons were analysed. Profiles of the nature, anatomical location and mechanism of injuries were presented according to dominant player position. Injury incidence rates were calculated based on match playing hours. Results: There were 600 medical-attention injuries; with 77.7% players reporting ≥1 injury. There were 79.5% acute injuries compared to gradual onset injuries. Of the all medical-attention injuries, 20.2% led to time-loss; 34.7% were match-time-loss injuries. Match injury incidence was 424.7 injuries/10,000 h for all injuries and 79.3 injuries/10,000 h for time-loss injuries. Of all the injuries, 31.8% were muscle injuries and 16.0% joint sprains. Wrist and hand (19.8%), lumbar spine (16.5%) and knee (14.9%) injuries were the most common time-loss injuries. Six players sustained lumber spine bone stress injury that resulted in the most days missed due to injury (average 110.5 days/injury). Conclusions: There is a need to focus on specific injuries in female cricket, including thigh, wrist/hand and knee injuries because of their frequency, and lumbar spine injuries because of their severity.
"...like you're pushing the snowball back up hill"-the experiences of Australian physiotherapists promoting non-treatment physical activity : A qualitative study
Description:
Participating in physical activity is important for maintaining general health. When physiotherapists promote physical activity for the purposes of maintaining or improving a patient’s general health, they are promoting non-treatment physical activity. Physiotherapists have a responsibility to promote non-treatment physical activity to their patients while also providing the patient with treatment for their presenting complaint. This qualitative study explored the experiences of Australian physiotherapists promoting non-treatment physical activity to patients with musculoskeletal conditions. Ten Australian physiotherapists treating patients with musculoskeletal conditions in private practice and outpatient settings were recruited using a social media campaign and snowballing. All interviewees received one $AU20 gift card for participating. Sixty-minute semi-structured interviews were conducted and were transcribed verbatim. Interpretative phenomenological analysis was used to design the interview guide and analyse data. Transcripts were used to identify emergent and superordinate themes. Most interviewees were female, aged between 25–34 years, physically active and reported promoting NTPA. The superordinate themes that emerged from the transcripts included: Internal and external influences on NTPA promotion, approach taken by the physiotherapist towards NTPA promotion, challenges experienced when promoting NTPA, and skills and training. In conclusion, physiotherapists reported they were well-placed to promote NTPA, but they face many challenges. The perceived inability to motivate patients to become physically active and the need to prioritise patient expectations of hands-on therapy made NTPA promotion difficult. Workplace specific factors, such as having an open-plan clinic environment and having other staff who promote NTPA, were perceived to make NTPA promotion easier. Using effective marketing strategies that portray the physiotherapy clinic as a physically active environment might see patients expect NTPA promotion, making NTPA promotion easier for Australian physiotherapists in the future.
Description:
Participating in physical activity is important for maintaining general health. When physiotherapists promote physical activity for the purposes of maintaining or improving a patient’s general health, they are promoting non-treatment physical activity. Physiotherapists have a responsibility to promote non-treatment physical activity to their patients while also providing the patient with treatment for their presenting complaint. This qualitative study explored the experiences of Australian physiotherapists promoting non-treatment physical activity to patients with musculoskeletal conditions. Ten Australian physiotherapists treating patients with musculoskeletal conditions in private practice and outpatient settings were recruited using a social media campaign and snowballing. All interviewees received one $AU20 gift card for participating. Sixty-minute semi-structured interviews were conducted and were transcribed verbatim. Interpretative phenomenological analysis was used to design the interview guide and analyse data. Transcripts were used to identify emergent and superordinate themes. Most interviewees were female, aged between 25–34 years, physically active and reported promoting NTPA. The superordinate themes that emerged from the transcripts included: Internal and external influences on NTPA promotion, approach taken by the physiotherapist towards NTPA promotion, challenges experienced when promoting NTPA, and skills and training. In conclusion, physiotherapists reported they were well-placed to promote NTPA, but they face many challenges. The perceived inability to motivate patients to become physically active and the need to prioritise patient expectations of hands-on therapy made NTPA promotion difficult. Workplace specific factors, such as having an open-plan clinic environment and having other staff who promote NTPA, were perceived to make NTPA promotion easier. Using effective marketing strategies that portray the physiotherapy clinic as a physically active environment might see patients expect NTPA promotion, making NTPA promotion easier for Australian physiotherapists in the future.