What's new in sports medicine (primary care)

The following represent additions to UpToDate from the past six months that were considered by the editors and authors to be of particular interest. The most recent What's New entries are at the top of each subsection.

ADOLESCENT AND PEDIATRIC SPORTS MEDICINE

Concussion and mental health disorders in children and adolescents (March 2024)

Ongoing research continues to examine the complex relationship between concussion and mental health disorders. In a recent case-control study of over 18,000 children (≤17 years old) with concussion and over 37,000 matched controls, concussion was associated with an increased risk for a new diagnosis of a behavior disorder at two and four years after injury [1]. For most diagnoses, the absolute numbers were low. Confidence in a causal relationship is limited by risk of confounding and reliance on an electronic medical record for establishing lack of baseline behavioral problems prior to injury. Whether pediatric concussion is an independent risk factor for new behavioral problems after recovery remains unclear. (See "Concussion in children and adolescents: Management", section on 'Mental health disorders'.)

Overuse injuries, overtraining, and burnout in children and adolescents (February 2024)

Greater numbers of children and adolescents now specialize in a single sport, thereby increasing the risk for overuse injuries, overtraining, and burnout. The American Academy of Pediatrics has issued a new clinical report that reviews the medical literature about these conditions and summarizes key findings pertaining to risk factors, clinical presentation, and prevention [2]. The report emphasizes the importance of achieving a healthy balance between stress and recovery. Specific recommendations include taking one to two days off from competition and sport-specific training each week and two to three months away from any specific sport each year. Discussions of endurance sports and weekend tournaments are included. (See "Overtraining syndrome in athletes", section on 'Special considerations in the young athlete'.)

Benign acute childhood myositis (January 2024)

Benign acute childhood myositis (BACM) is a self-limited syndrome associated with calf pain and creatinine kinase elevation, often following infection with influenza. In a retrospective study of 65 patients with BACM, the median age was 6.6 years and 66 percent of patients were male [3]. The most common symptoms were bilateral calf pain, refusal to walk, and diffuse weakness. The median creatinine kinase was 1827 U/L, which normalized after an average of seven days. Early recognition of this syndrome allows the clinician to avoid an unnecessary evaluation for other muscle diseases. (See "Overview of viral myositis", section on 'Benign acute childhood myositis'.)

MANAGEMENT AND REHABILITATION OF MUSCULOSKELETAL INJURIES

Risk of reinjury following ACL repair (February 2024)

Despite advances in surgical techniques, the risk of reinjury following repair of a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament remains substantial, ranging from 5 to 15 percent depending on the patient's age and activities. According to a systematic review of 71 studies involving over 600,000 patients, factors associated with an increased risk for retear following surgery include male sex, younger age, preoperative high-grade knee laxity, return to a high activity level or sport, and concomitant medial collateral ligament injury [4]. The modifiable factors identified highlight the importance of following a rigorous rehabilitation program and allowing time for complete healing before returning to sport. (See "Anterior cruciate ligament injury", section on 'Risk of reinjury'.)

Barbotage procedure for calcific tendinopathy of shoulder (January 2024)

To date, few high-quality studies have assessed the effectiveness of barbotage, an ultrasound-guided procedure to remove deposits in patients with calcific tendinopathy of the shoulder. In a recent, multicenter trial, 220 adults with calcific tendinopathy of at least three months duration were randomly assigned to one of three treatment arms: barbotage plus injection with glucocorticoid and analgesic; sham barbotage plus injection with glucocorticoid and analgesic; or, sham barbotage plus injection of analgesic alone [5]. At four months, patients in all three groups experienced moderate improvement in shoulder symptoms and function, but no significant differences were noted among treatment groups. At 24 months, neither barbotage with glucocorticoid injection nor glucocorticoid injection alone was superior to sham treatment (ie, analgesic injection alone). While barbotage is likely less effective than previously thought, we believe it remains a useful therapy for some patients. (See "Calcific tendinopathy of the shoulder", section on 'Barbotage'.)

PREVENTION AND BIOMECHANICS OF MUSCULOSKELETAL INJURIES

Running injuries in high school and collegiate athletes (March 2024)

Although running is the most common form of exercise, few high-quality reviews of running-related injuries have been published. A recent systematic review that included 24 prospective cohort studies (nearly 2000 adolescent and young adult competitive runners) found that female runners sustained more injuries than their male counterparts [6]. All runners, but particularly females, with risk factors for relative energy deficiency in sport (REDS) experienced higher injury rates; athletes with weak hip and thigh muscles were at increased risk of developing anterior knee pain (eg, patellofemoral pain). This study also confirmed known risk factors, such as a history of prior running-related injury. Overall, study quality and certainty of evidence were low to moderate. These findings reinforce the importance of sound nutrition and adjunct strength training to prevent running injuries. (See "Running injuries of the lower extremities: Risk factors and prevention", section on 'Sex and age'.)

OTHER PRIMARY CARE SPORTS MEDICINE

New guidelines for management of mass participation sporting events (April 2024)

Mass participation sporting events such as marathons and sports tournaments continue to gain popularity, and sports medicine physicians are frequently called upon to organize and provide medical care at such events. The American College of Sports Medicine has published updated guidelines to assist clinicians providing these services [7]. The new guidelines address the increased focus on event security and health concerns stemming from environmental changes. Key concepts for medical planning include adequate preparation for catastrophic health problems, coordination with community medical services (including emergency departments and emergency medical services), and development or adoption of standardized protocols for the management of common and important medical conditions likely to occur. The new guidelines are largely consistent with our approach. (See "Preparation and management of mass-participation endurance sporting events", section on 'Key concepts and tasks'.)