Journal of athletic training
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Multicenter Study Comparative Study
Relationship Between the King-Devick Test and Commonly Used Concussion Tests at Baseline.
Comprehensive assessments are recommended to evaluate sport-related concussion (SRC). The degree to which the King-Devick (KD) test adds novel information to an SRC evaluation is unknown. ⋯ Better performance on cognitive measures involving concentration, visual motor speed, and reaction time was weakly associated with better baseline KD performance. Symptoms, psychological distress, balance, and vestibular-oculomotor provocation were unrelated to KD performance at baseline. The findings indicate limited overlap at baseline among the CARE SRC assessments and the KD.
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Early single-sport specialization and the relative age effect are often cited as improving the chances of sport success. Both concepts suggest that genetics and the environment have little influence on sport success. ⋯ The Division I SAs did not specialize in a single sport at a younger age than the NAs. No evidence of a relative age effect was present. Importantly, higher levels of sport achievement among the parents and siblings of SAs suggest that genetic endowment and family or other environmental dynamics play a large role in athletic performance. Overall, the results are not consistent with deliberate practice theory and point toward an alternative model that includes not only sport-specific skill development but also genetic and social factors as key elements of long-term sport achievement.
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Exertional heatstroke is one of the leading causes of death in American football players. Precooling (PC) with whole-body cold-water immersion (CWI) may prevent severe hyperthermia and, possibly, exertional heatstroke. However, it is unknown how much PC delays severe hyperthermia when participants wear American football uniforms during exercise in the heat. Does PC alter the effectiveness of CWI once participants become hyperthermic or affect perceptual variables during exercise? ⋯ Because PC delayed hyperthermia without negatively affecting perceptual variables or CWI effectiveness, clinicians may consider implementing PC along with other proven strategies for preventing heat illness (eg, acclimatization).
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Cervical muscle strains are an often-overlooked injury, with neck- and spine-related research typically focusing on spinal cord and vertebral injuries. ⋯ The incidence of cervical muscle strains in football players was low compared with other injuries. Nonetheless, identifying and implementing interventions, particularly those aimed at reducing unsafe player contact, are essential to further decrease the risk of injury and associated adverse outcomes.
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Concussions elicit changes in brain function that may extend well beyond clinical symptom recovery. Whether these changes produce meaningful deficits outside the laboratory environment is unclear. The results of player performance postconcussion within professional sports have been mixed. ⋯ The NHL players in the concussion and lower body injury groups displayed similar performance impairments. Both injured cohorts experienced an initial decrease in performance at weeks 1 to 2 after return to play, followed by improved performance at weeks 5 to 6 after return to play, suggesting that the performance implications of concussion may be short lived.