Prognostic, Level II.

More than 90% of injuries in runners are recorded in the lower extremity, equally affecting the regions of the knee, shank, and foot. Stress fractures are responsible for numerous running-related injuries. In the current study, the plantar pressure patterns of prerace, immediately postrace, and 24 hours after long-distance running in the Spartathlon were analyzed to compare foot loading in the respective conditions. Forty-six male participants of the Spartathlon ultramarathon were examined before, immediately after completion of the race, and 24 hours later with plantar pressure measurements during barefoot walking on a capacitive platform. The results revealed a significant increase in the peak pressure and impulse values in the forefoot areas and a decrease under the toes before and immediately after the race. On the contrary, no significant differences were found between the prerace and the 24-hour postrace values. The present findings indicate that the Spartathlon race leads to significant variations in foot-loading characteristics, especially in the peak pressure and impulse values under the forefoot and toe regions. Twenty-four-hour postrace data measurements reveal insignificant differences from the prerace statement, probably because of the restoration of local muscular activity.

The lack of a normal joint orientation generates translational or shear forces across the joint. These forces can put abnormally high strain on the cartilage and the surrounding capsuloligamentous tissues. Ankle joint structure can affect or be affected by bony malformations of the surrounding areas, including the knee and hip. The aim of the current study is to examine the possible relationship between the tibiofemoral (TFA) angle and other factors (anthropometric characteristics, medical history, and age) on the occurrence of ankle sprains because its value provides useful information for the anatomical alignment of the lower extremity. The study sample consisted of 45 high-level athletes, evenly distributed among 3 sports (basketball, soccer, and volleyball). TFA measurements were made on radiographs. The study lasted 2 years. A logistic regression was used to determine the importance of each factor on the probability in question. A significance level of P = .1 was used. The factors contributing more to an ankle sprain were a previous injury of the same type followed by body mass index (BMI) and age. On the contrary, TFA was proven to be statistically nonsignificant. When the BMI variable was substituted with body inertia propensity, a derived variable, the TFA remained statistically nonsignificant. TFA magnitude does not seem to be a determinant factor that could increase the probability of spraining an ankle.

PROGNOSTIC LEVEL IV: Case Series.

Background: Circulating factors during exercise training are implicated in the adaptive mechanisms of physical conditioning. However, there is lack of information regarding the effect of basketball training on circulating growth and vascular remodeling factors in adolescents. The purpose of this study was to characterize the serum insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), matrix metalloproteinase 3 (MMP-3), albumin (ALB) and aldolase (ALD) responses in healthy adolescent boys over the course of a regular basketball season, and compared them with age-and sex-matched participants not involved systematically in any physical activity. Materials and methods:We evaluated systemic and body composition changes in basketball athletes (n=34; mean age 17.1±0.7 yrs) and controls (n=21; mean age 17.2±0.9 yrs) before training, at peak season (8 wks), and at the end of the season (32 wks).Results: Changes in % body fat and body mass index (BMI) were observed in the training group (TG) over time (P<0.05-0.001), while these parameters remained unchanged in the control group (CG). TG exhibited higher serum ALB and ALD levels compared with CG (P<0.001) while they did not change over time (P>0.05). Circulating IGF-1, VEGF and MMP-3 levels increased in TG over time (P<0.01) and were higher compared to CG (P<0.001), in which there were not any changes. Conclusion:The elevated levels of growth, metabolic and vascular remodeling factors in the adolescent basketball athletes potentially indicate benefi cial, anabolic and angiogenic, processes in response to this mode of exercise training.