Sports Medicine

Hamstring force and stretch vary widely across common rehab exercises versus sprinting

Musculoskeletal modeling showed bilateral Romanian deadlifts generated the highest biceps femoris long head and semimembranosus forces, exceeding sprinting loads. Unilateral hamstring bridge, eccentric hip extension, eccentric slider, and Nordic hamstring exercises produced biceps femoris forces similar to maximal sprinting. Romanian deadlifts and unilateral hamstring bridges also imposed the greatest musculotendinous stretch across all hamstring heads. Nordic and eccentric slider exercises produced relatively high forces but low stretch, indicating high-tension, low-lengthening loading profiles. Overall, hamstring exercises ranged from less demanding than walking to more demanding than sprinting, with exercise choice strongly influencing muscle-specific load. 1

Single Arm Shot Put and CKCUEST stand out for upper-extremity RTS testing

This systematic review of 60 studies evaluated reliability and validity of upper-extremity functional tests used for return-to-sport decisions. The Single Arm Shot Put test showed consistently excellent reliability and construct validity via correlations with isokinetic torque and other functional tests. The Closed Kinetic Chain Upper Extremity Stability Test demonstrated good-to-excellent reliability across ages, sexes, sports, and in patients with shoulder pain. CKCUEST also showed predictive validity for future upper-extremity injury and discriminated individuals with and without current shoulder injury. The Upper Quarter Y-Balance test displayed mixed reliability and weak associations with strength or other tests, limiting its standalone value for RTS decisions. 2

ACL injury reshapes identity and highlights need for psychologically informed, patient-centered care

This qualitative synthesis of 56 studies (806 participants) identified five consistent themes in patient and parent experiences after ACL injury. External messages before and after injury strongly shaped beliefs about injury severity, prognosis, and preferred treatment pathway. Patients described profound disruption of athletic and personal identity, often struggling with “who am I now?” during rehabilitation. Perceived support at individual, interpersonal, and community levels facilitated recovery, whereas lack of support amplified distress and fear of reinjury. Participants emphasized unmet needs around psychological preparation, honest information, and individualized, respectful care throughout the ACL treatment journey. 3