Medicine and science in sports and exercise
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Med Sci Sports Exerc · Mar 2012
Reliability of concussion history in former professional football players.
The reliability of athletes to recall and self-report a concussion history has never been quantified. This study examined the reliability of the self-report concussion history measure and explored determinants of recall in the number of self-reported concussions in a group of retired professional football players. ⋯ The self-reported concussion history had moderate reliability in former professional football players, on the basis of two administrations of the same instrument, 9 yr apart. However, changes in health status may be differentially associated with recall of concussions.
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Med Sci Sports Exerc · Mar 2012
Asymmetry of quadriceps muscle oxygenation during elite short-track speed skating.
It has been suggested that, because of the low sitting position in short-track speed skating, muscle blood flow is restricted, leading to decreases in tissue oxygenation. Therefore, wearable wireless-enabled near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) technology was used to monitor changes in quadriceps muscle blood volume and oxygenation during a 500-m race simulation in short-track speed skaters. ⋯ NIRS was shown to be a viable tool for wireless monitoring of muscle oxygenation. The asymmetry in muscle desaturation observed on the two legs in short-track speed skating has implications for training and performance.
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Med Sci Sports Exerc · Feb 2012
Gender differences in head impacts sustained by collegiate ice hockey players.
This study aimed to quantify the frequency, magnitude, and location of head impacts sustained by male and female collegiate ice hockey players during two seasons of play. ⋯ Although the incidence of concussion has typically been higher for female hockey players than male hockey players, female players sustain fewer impacts and impacts resulting in lower head acceleration than males. Further study is required to better understand the intrinsic and extrinsic risk factors that lead to higher rates of concussion for females that have been previously reported.
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Med Sci Sports Exerc · Feb 2012
Epidural steroid injection for lumbar disc herniation in NFL athletes.
To our knowledge, there is no published information on the efficacy of epidural steroid injections for the treatment of lumbar disc herniation in an athletic population. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of epidural corticosteroid injection for treatment of lumbar disc herniation in a group of National Football League (NFL) players. ⋯ In this highly selective group of professional athletes, our results suggest that epidural steroid injections are a safe and effective therapeutic option in the treatment of symptomatic lumbar disc herniation.
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Med Sci Sports Exerc · Jan 2012
ReviewActiGraph and Actical physical activity monitors: a peek under the hood.
Since the 1980s, accelerometer-based activity monitors have been used by researchers to quantify physical activity. The technology of these monitors has continuously evolved. For example, changes have been made to monitor hardware (type of sensor (e.g., piezoelectric, piezoresistive, capacitive)) and output format (counts vs raw signal). ⋯ This article may help researchers gain a better understanding of the functioning of activity monitors. For example, a common misconception among physical activity researchers is that the ActiGraph GT1M and GT3X are piezoelectric sensor-based monitors. Thus, this information may also help researchers to describe these monitors more accurately in scientific publications.