Static radiographic alignment fails to capture the dynamic nature of joint behaviour during functional tasks. To address this, our study evaluated the relationship between Hip-Knee-Ankle angle (HKAA) and dynamic biomechanical variables (dynamic HKAA (dHKAA), via projection of hip, knee, and ankle joint centers onto the frontal plane, knee adduction moment (KAM), and knee abduction angle (KAA)), during gait and sit-to-stand tasks with and without arm assistance. A further objective was to examine the mediolateral center of pressure (COP ML) as a complementary parameter for assessing joint loading and frontal plane alignment.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose: Heat stress, like exercise, can elicit beneficial mitochondrial adaptations and attenuate disuse muscle atrophy. The beneficial effects of heat therapy may in part be related to mitokines as they are released by the cells in response to perceived mitochondrial stress. This study thus investigated the effect of repeated heat exposures on mitokine response in the context of immobilization-induced muscle atrophy.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSemin Musculoskelet Radiol
August 2025
Football (soccer) is an intensely physical sport with a high prevalence of musculoskeletal injuries. Diagnostic imaging is critical for evaluating and managing these injuries effectively. Football players are particularly prone to injuries involving the lower extremities, especially the knees.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInjury and illness surveillance (IIS) systems play a crucial role in professional sports by monitoring athlete health, informing preventive strategies, and enhancing performance. Although international bodies, such as the International Olympic Committee, have established comprehensive guidelines, implementing these standards across diverse sports environments and specifically in football (soccer), remains challenging. This paper reflects on the experiences gained from implementing IIS systems in various football settings, including the Qatar Stars League and the Asian Football Confederation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose: The goal of this study was to assess the annual incidence of tibiotarsal arthrodesis in Italy and the epidemiological characteristics of patients requiring surgery. A secondary aim was to assess the economic impact of this type of surgery on the healthcare system.
Methods: The analysis was conducted by using the National Hospital Discharge Records (NHDR) database provided by the Italian Ministry of Health.
: This descriptive systematic review aimed to assess in the available literature on the current application and overall performance of Artificial Intelligence (AI) models in the diagnosis and classification of Rotator Cuff Tears (RCTs) using MRIs. : The systematic review was performed by two of the authors from 2020 to November 2024. Only diagnostic studies involving AI application to MRI images of the rotator cuff were considered, including supraspinatus and biceps tears.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: In athletes with an acute ligamentous ankle injury, cartilage and osteochondral lesions ([O]CLs) have been reported in 8% using 1.5-T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Visualization of cartilage injuries improves with the use of higher field strengths.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose: The increasing incidence of hip replacement (HR) is related to the ageing of the population and the increasing longevity of new implants. The primary purpose of this study is to assess the number of HR hospitalizations in Italy, referring to official national hospitalization reports. The secondary aim is to evaluate the characteristics of patients who underwent HR, comparing the future predictions of the prevalence of HR between Italy and other countries.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Back Musculoskelet Rehabil
May 2025
Background: Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) and unilateral knee arthroplasty (UKA) are often the treatment of choice for knee osteoarthritis. Approximately 20% of patients affected by osteoarthritis suffer from depressive symptoms.
Objective: The present study aims to evaluate the influence of depression on functional outcomes in patients with knee osteoarthritis undergone UKA and TKA.
Purpose: While several artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted medical imaging applications are reported in the recent orthopaedic literature, comparison of the clinical efficacy and utility of these applications is currently lacking. The aim of this systematic review is to evaluate the effectiveness and reliability of AI applications in orthopaedic imaging, focusing on their impact on diagnostic accuracy, image segmentation and operational efficiency across various imaging modalities.
Methods: Based on the PRISMA guidelines, a comprehensive literature search of PubMed, Cochrane and Scopus databases was performed, using combinations of keywords and MeSH descriptors ('AI', 'ML', 'deep learning', 'orthopaedic surgery' and 'imaging') from inception to March 2024.
Br J Sports Med
June 2025
The absence of agreed methods to diagnose Achilles tendinopathy impedes research and clinical practice. This gap results in heterogeneous and/or poorly described study samples, making it challenging to apply findings in clinical practice. The aim of this Delphi study was to define consensus on (1) diagnostic domains; (2) differential diagnoses; and (3) conditions requiring further medical attention, when assessing for Achilles tendinopathy.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFKnee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc
June 2025
Purpose: The purpose of this systematic review was to assess the rate of progression to reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (RTSA) and to other interventions as revision surgeries after an arthroscopic repair of a massive rotator cuff tear (MRCT). Additionally, the review aimed at defining the best arthroscopic approach for the treatment of MRCTs in terms of failure and revision rates.
Methods: The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to evaluate the rates of progression to reverse total shoulder arthroplasty in patients who underwent primary arthroscopic repair of an MRCT with different arthroscopic procedures.
Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the demographic features of patients undergoing wrist arthroscopy in Italy. A secondary aim was to perform an economic analysis of this type of surgery.
Methods: The National Hospital Discharge Records database was employed to conduct the analysis.
Bioengineering (Basel)
February 2025
Background: Socially Assistive Robots (SARs) represent an innovative approach in rehabilitation technology, significantly enhancing the support and motivation for individuals across diverse rehabilitation settings. Despite their growing utilization, especially in stroke recovery and pediatric rehabilitation, their potential in musculoskeletal and orthopedic rehabilitation remains largely underexplored. Although there is methodological and outcome variability across the included studies, this review aims to critically evaluate and summarize the research on SARs in rehabilitation, providing a thorough overview of the current evidence and practical applications.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose: Through an analysis of findings from a survey about the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in orthopaedics, the aim of this study was to establish a scholarly foundation for the discourse on AI in orthopaedics and to elucidate key patterns, challenges and potential future trajectories for AI applications within the field.
Methods: The International Society of Arthroscopy, Knee Surgery and Orthopaedic Sports Medicine (ISAKOS) Young Professionals Task Force developed a survey to collect feedback on issues related to the use of AI in the orthopaedic field. The survey included 26 questions.
Br J Sports Med
June 2025
Knee cartilage lesions are frequent in football players, but evidence for surgical treatment is lacking. The aim of this International Cartilage Regeneration & Joint Preservation Society, Fédération Internationale de Football Association, and Aspetar (ICRS-FIFA-Aspetar) consensus was to develop specific expert-based, patient-specific practical recommendations on the appropriateness of non-surgical or surgical treatments for symptomatic knee cartilage lesions in competitive football players. The RAND/UCLA appropriateness method was used, and 17 voting experts provided recommendations on the appropriateness of surgical treatment in 96 different clinical scenarios defined on 6 variables: cartilage injury onset, lesion location, defect size, bone involvement, player symptom level and preference towards higher priority of a quick return to play or long-term results.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose: Hip arthroscopy has gained popularity among orthopaedic procedures over the last decade. The present study aims to evaluate the trends of hip arthroscopy procedures in Italy analysing data recorded by the Italian Ministry of Health, reporting demographics, length of hospitalisation (LOS), diagnosis and the economic impact of the procedure.
Methods: The National Hospital Discharge records reported by the Italian Ministry of Health were used, analysing the data regarding hip arthroscopy procedures performed in Italy between 2001 and 2016.
Purpose: To compare patient-reported outcomes between acute ligamentous ankle injuries 1) without anterior syndesmosis involvement and 2) with anterior syndesmosis involvement (without clinical instability).
Study Design: Prospective cohort study.
Methods: Between September 2016 and December 2020 all athletes (≥18) with an acute ankle injury presenting within 7 days post-injury were screened for eligibility.
Purpose: The objective was to describe the location, examination procedures, diagnoses, and treatment for gradual-onset Achilles tendon pain in male professional football (soccer) players.
Patients And Methods: Forty-seven teams were followed prospectively for at least one season from 2013/14 to 2017/18. Time-loss injuries were recorded by the teams' medical staffs.
Background: Animal research suggests that repeated heat exposures may stimulate skeletal muscle protein synthesis and downregulate protein degradation.
Hypothesis: Repeated heat exposures during ankle immobilization and rehabilitation would preserve human muscle strength and mass.
Study Design: Controlled laboratory study.
Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc
March 2025
Purpose: The aim of this study is to report and discuss the outcomes of clinical, histological and animal studies exploring the application of bio-inductive collagen implants (BCIs) to partial and full-thickness rotator cuff tears (PT- and FT-RCTs) in addition to reporting on cost-related factors.
Methods: Review of literature was performed using the PRISMA guidelines. A systematic electronic literature search was conducted using the CENTRAL, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, EBSCOhost, EMBASE and Google Scholar bibliographic databases.
J Back Musculoskelet Rehabil
November 2024
Background: Glenohumeral degenerative joint disease may affect up to 20% of the population. There are several classification systems of this disease in the scientific literature.
Objective: The aim of this study is to determine the reliability and reproducibility of glenohumeral osteoarthritis classification systems.
Recent studies imply that psychological factors and sleep quality play a role in the outcomes of surgical procedures, including in orthopedic surgery. The aim of the present study is to evaluate possible correlations between preoperative depression, anxiety, and quality of sleep and functional 6-month postoperative scores in patients having undergone rotator cuff repair (RCR). All patients included in the study performed the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) questionnaires preoperatively and 36-item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36), Oxford Shoulder Score (OSS), Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI), and PSQI questionnaires at the six-month postoperative follow-up.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries are commonly assessed using clinical examination and magnetic resonance imaging, but these methods have limitations in reproducibility and quantification. Instrumented laxity measurements using devices, like the DYNEELAX®, offer an alternative approach. However, to date, there is no human data on the DYNEELAX® and the reliability of these devices remains a subject of debate, and there is no consensus on appropriate knee tightening levels for testing.
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