Anterior Talofibular Ligament Abnormality on Routine Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Ankle

The anterior talo­fibular ligament (ATFL) extends from the anteroinferior border of the ­fibula to the talar neck. Primary restraint to ankle inversion in plantar‑exion. Injury (acute or chronic) can be diagnosed with physical exam, stress X-Rays, ultrasound or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Purpose: MRI abnormalities in asymptomatic individuals known in other areas of orthopaedics (shoulder and spine). Purpose of our study: determine the prevalence of ATFL abnormalities found on MRI in asymptomatic individuals. Asymptomatic individuals - those undergoing MRI for pathology unrelated to lateral ankle trauma, instability, or inversion injuries

The Epidemiology of Sports and Recreation Related Toe Fractures in the United States

BACKGROUND: Fractures of the toes are among the most frequently diagnosed lower extremity fractures. In sports, toe fractures may present after diverse mechanisms of injury, varying severity, and varying implications for management. This study aimed to discern trends in toe fractures presenting to US emergency departments (EDs) particularly in association with sports and recreational activities. An additional aim of the study was to identify if rates of toe fracture presentation significantly decreased during the year 2020 at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: We queried the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) database to identify toe fractures presented to US EDs from 2013 to 2022. The data outputs were analyzed by age group, sex, sport/recreational activity, and year. US Census data were used for calculation of incidence rates (IR) in 100,000 person-years. χ tests and regression analyses were performed to determine significance. Grubbs\u27s test was performed to determine significant yearly outliers with particular attention to the year 2020. RESULTS: A total of 921,033 toe fractures were identified across US EDs, with 175,864 cases associated with sports and recreation. Exercise (IR = 140.3) had the leading IR among sports/recreation followed by cycling (IR = 136.8), basketball (IR = 136.8), and football (IR = 94.9). Males accounted for 40.8% of fractures (IR = 23.0), whereas females contributed 59.2% (IR = 32.8). Toe fractures peaked in the 10- to 14-year-old age group in both males and females. Sports- and recreation-related toe fractures did not significantly decrease from 2013 to 2022, although all-cause toe fractures did significantly decrease as shown by a P value of .0037 from linear regression analysis of yearly trend in all toe fractures. The year 2020 was a significant outlier with a decrease in sports-related toe fractures though there was no significant decrease in all-cause toe fractures in 2020. CONCLUSION: Sports- and recreation-related toe fractures did not significantly decrease from 2013 to 2022, although a significant decrease in all-cause toe fractures was observed. Toe fractures continue to peak in the pediatric age groups, particularly 10-14 year-olds. Youth sports and recreation officials should be aware of the risks of toe fractures to aid in prevention. Level III, epidemiologic database, retrospective cohort studies

Spinal Nerve Root Swelling Mimicking Intervertebral Disc Herniation in Magnetic Resonance Imaging -A Case Report-

A herniated intervertebral disc is the most common type of soft tissue mass lesion within the lumbar spinal canal. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a useful tool for the assessment of patients with lower back pain and radiating pain, especially intervertebral disc herniation. MRI findings of intervertebral disc herniation are typical. However, from time to time, despite an apparently classic history and typical MRI findings suggestive of disc herniation, surgical exploration fails to reveal any lesion of an intervertebral disc. Our patient underwent lumbar disc surgery with the preoperative diagnosis of lumbar disc herniation; however, nothing could be found during the surgical procedure, except a swollen nerve root

Relationship between muscle stress and intramuscular pressure during dynamic muscle contractions

Intramuscular pressure (IMP) has been used to estimate muscle stress indirectly. However, the ability of this technique to estimate muscle stress under dynamic conditions is poorly characterized. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which IMP is a valid surrogate for muscle stress during dynamic contractions. IMP and muscle stress were compared under steady-state isotonic conditions and during complex dynamic length changes. During concentric contractions the shape of the IMP–velocity curve mimicked the basic shape of the force–velocity curve but with much higher variability. For eccentric contractions, a precipitous drop in IMP was observed despite increased muscle stress. The dissociation between muscle stress and IMP during dynamic contractions was partially explained by sensor movement. When the muscle was not moving, IMP explained 89% ± 5% of the variance in muscle force. However, when transducer movement occurred the linear relationship between IMP and stress was no longer observed. These findings demonstrate the difficulty in interpreting IMP under dynamic conditions when sensor movement occurs. They also illustrate the need to control transducer movement if muscle stress is to be inferred from IMP measurements such as might be desired during clinical gait testing. Muscle Nerve, 2007Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/56124/1/20828_ftp.pd