Geoffrey Verrall - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Geoffrey Verrall

Research paper thumbnail of Lower Back Injuries in Rowing National Level Compared tAo International Level Rowers

Asian Journal of Sports Medicine, Aug 23, 2014

Rowing injuries are common, with lower back injuries having the highest incidence. This study was... more Rowing injuries are common, with lower back injuries having the highest incidence. This study was to investigate the major rowing injuries seen at a single high performance rowing sports program over a 5 years training period and establish if any relationship exists between these injuries and the level of competition that the rower is partaking in. All rowers at the South Australian Sports Institute (SASI) programs were designated as being either international or national level rowers. Injuries that caused greater than 5 days training loss during any one training year were recorded. The number of lower back injuries and rib stress injuries causing training time loss were analysed to assess whether there was any association between the level of rower and the nature and type of injury causing training time loss. Forty-five national rowers (97 training years) had 15 lower back injuries compared to 12 international rowers 35 training years) with 1 lower back injury. Thus a national level rower was more likely to have a lower back injury compared to an international rower P = 0.05. In contrast an international level was more likely to have a rib stress fracture compared to a national rower P = 0.04. 21% of all injuries in this study were a consequence of cycling injuries. Lower back injuries are a significant cause of training time lost in rowers. These injuries are much more likely to occur in national level rowers when compared to international level rowers. In contrast rib stress injuries are associated with international compared to national level rowers.

Research paper thumbnail of Doctor on the sidelines

Medical Journal of Australia, Mar 6, 2006

Research paper thumbnail of ISMJ -Pathophysiology of Chronic Groin Pain in the Athlete Pathophysiology of Chronic Groin Pain in the Athlete

Chronic groin pain is a common symptom in the football and hockey codes. Although there is a larg... more Chronic groin pain is a common symptom in the football and hockey codes. Although there is a large differential diagnosis, this review focuses upon the peri-pubic causes of isolated groin pain (pubalgia). Publications that included a hypothesis of the cause of pubalgia were reviewed. The competing views were that pubalgia arises from a single pathology, multiple unrelated pathologies, and multiple interdependent pathologies. An interdependent model is the most practical, in the absence of scientific proof for either paradigm. Posterior inguinal canal deficiency is established as a common finding in male athletes, but it may be asymptomatic. Osteitis pubis and insertional adductor tendinopathy are also both common entities that often are considered to coexist. Overuse in sports involving kicking, sprinting, and changing direction is implicated as a cause of pubalgia by all paradigms. Various surgeries to the pubic region may achieve results by i) correcting a force imbalance at the p...

Research paper thumbnail of Pelvis, Groin, and Hips

An Illustrated Guide to the Management of Injuries in Physical Activity, 2012

Research paper thumbnail of 6. Doctor on the sidelines

The Medical journal of Australia, Jan 6, 2006

Effectively managing on-field emergencies is the most important role of the doctor on the sidelin... more Effectively managing on-field emergencies is the most important role of the doctor on the sidelines. Pre-event preparation is essential and should include a formulated plan for dealing with emergencies and access to emergency equipment such as a stretcher and a bag and mask. Game day injuries should be assessed by adhering as closely as possible to a normal clinical consultation, with a proper history and examination being performed for all injuries. The athlete with an on-field head injury should be treated as having a concomitant cervical spine injury until proven otherwise. Athletes with any symptoms after head injury should be comprehensively and continuously assessed. Return-to-play decisions are made by balancing the risk of injury recurrence, the potential severity of injury recurrence and the benefits of returning to the field (which are higher at elite than amateur level). There is currently a shortage of doctors willing to cover sports events in Australia, which is partial...

Research paper thumbnail of Groin pain in footballers: the association between preseason clinical and pubic bone magnetic resonance imaging findings and athlete outcome

The American journal of sports medicine, 2005

Groin pain and tenderness are common in athletes from a variety of codes of football, but little ... more Groin pain and tenderness are common in athletes from a variety of codes of football, but little attention has been directed to the influence of magnetic resonance imaging and such clinical findings on athlete participation. Preseason groin pain, tenderness, and magnetic resonance imaging findings such as pubic bone marrow edema are associated with restricted training capacity and missed games. Cohort study; Level of evidence, 2. Fifty-two Australian footballers in the national competition were recruited. Preseason groin pain and focal tenderness were recorded, and magnetic resonance imaging of the groin was performed within 1 week of examination. Training restriction and games missed owing to groin pain were documented during the subsequent season. Magnetic resonance imaging showed pubic bone marrow edema in 19 of 52 (37%) footballers and linear parasymphyseal T2 hyperintensity in 16 of 52 (31%) footballers. Groin pain restricted training during the season in 22 of 52 (42%) footbal...

Research paper thumbnail of Diagnostic and prognostic value of clinical findings in 83 athletes with posterior thigh injury: comparison of clinical findings with magnetic resonance imaging documentation of hamstring muscle strain

The American journal of sports medicine

Little is known about the clinical features of posterior thigh injuries and their contribution to... more Little is known about the clinical features of posterior thigh injuries and their contribution to accurate diagnosis and prognostic assessment of hamstring muscle strain injury. The clinical features of posterior thigh injury can be used to diagnose hamstring muscle strain and to predict duration of absence from competition. Prospective clinical study. For two playing seasons, the clinical features of posterior thigh injury, timing of injury, and playing days lost were recorded for Australian Rules football players. Magnetic resonance imaging was used to confirm hamstring muscle injury. Posterior thigh injuries associated with pain and tenderness were recorded for 83 players, with magnetic resonance imaging confirming hamstring injury in 68 (82%). Most of the hamstring injuries were sudden onset (62; 91%) and occurred after a significant warm-up period (57; 84%). Of the patients whose injuries were sudden onset and occurred after the warm-up period (N = 59), 57 (97%) had hamstring m...

Research paper thumbnail of Hamstring injury in athletes: using MR imaging measurements to compare extent of muscle injury with amount of time lost from competition

AJR. American journal of roentgenology, 2002

The purpose of this study was to examine relationships between MR imaging measurements of the ext... more The purpose of this study was to examine relationships between MR imaging measurements of the extent of hamstring injury and the amount of time lost from competition in a group of athletes. Thirty-seven athletes with suspected hamstring injury underwent T1 and inversion recovery T2 turbo spin-echo MR imaging in axial and sagittal planes. The presence and dimensions of abnormal focal intra- and extramuscular T2 hyperintensity were independently recorded by two radiologists, and the muscles involved and intramuscular location of injury were noted. The percentage of abnormal cross-sectional muscle area, abnormal muscle volume, and length of extramuscular T2 hyperintensity were measured from T2-weighted images depicting the maximal extent of the injury. Time (days) lost from competition was noted during follow-up. MR imaging detected hamstring muscle and linear extramuscular T2 hyperintensity in 30 (81%) and 25 (68%) of 37 athletes, respectively. The long head of the biceps was the domi...

Research paper thumbnail of Thigh

An Illustrated Guide to the Management of Injuries in Physical Activity, 2012

Research paper thumbnail of Preventing Hamstring Injuries

Sports Injury Prevention, 2009

Research paper thumbnail of Lower Back Injuries in Rowing National Level Compared to International Level Rowers

Asian Journal of Sports Medicine, 2014

Rowing injuries are common, with lower back injuries having the highest incidence. This study was... more Rowing injuries are common, with lower back injuries having the highest incidence. This study was to investigate the major rowing injuries seen at a single high performance rowing sports program over a 5 years training period and establish if any relationship exists between these injuries and the level of competition that the rower is partaking in. All rowers at the South Australian Sports Institute (SASI) programs were designated as being either international or national level rowers. Injuries that caused greater than 5 days training loss during any one training year were recorded. The number of lower back injuries and rib stress injuries causing training time loss were analysed to assess whether there was any association between the level of rower and the nature and type of injury causing training time loss. Forty-five national rowers (97 training years) had 15 lower back injuries compared to 12 international rowers 35 training years) with 1 lower back injury. Thus a national level rower was more likely to have a lower back injury compared to an international rower P = 0.05. In contrast an international level was more likely to have a rib stress fracture compared to a national rower P = 0.04. 21% of all injuries in this study were a consequence of cycling injuries. Lower back injuries are a significant cause of training time lost in rowers. These injuries are much more likely to occur in national level rowers when compared to international level rowers. In contrast rib stress injuries are associated with international compared to national level rowers.

Research paper thumbnail of Analysis of the Three Most Prevalent Injuries in Australian Football Demonstrates a Season to Season Association Between Groin/Hip/Osteitis Pubis Injuries With ACL Knee Injuries

Asian journal of sports medicine, 2014

Injuries are common in contact sports like Australian football. The Australian Football League (A... more Injuries are common in contact sports like Australian football. The Australian Football League (AFL) has developed an extensive injury surveillance database that can be used for epidemiological studies. The purpose of this study is to identify any association between the three most prevalent injuries in the AFL. From the AFL injury surveillance data 1997-2012 the injury incidence (new injuries per club per season) and the injury prevalence data (missed games per club per season) were analysed to detect the three most common injuries that would cause a player to miss a match in the AFL. The three most prevalent injuries in the AFL are hamstring strains, groin/hip/osteitis pubis injuries and Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) knee injuries. Following this, further study was undertaken to detect the presence of any statistical relationship between injury incidences of the three most prevalent injuries over this sixteen year study period. Statistical analysis demonstrates for any given ye...

Research paper thumbnail of Description of pain provocation tests used for the diagnosis of sports-related chronic groin pain: relationship of tests to defined clinical (pain and tenderness) and MRI (pubic bone marrow oedema) criteria

Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports, 2005

Research paper thumbnail of Outcome of Athletic Chronic Groin Injury Treated with Conservative Management

Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 2006

Research paper thumbnail of CLINICAL FEATURES OF 83 POSTERIOR THIGH INJURIES WITH MRI CORRELATION

Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 2003

Research paper thumbnail of Hip joint range of motion reduction in sports-related chronic groin injury diagnosed as pubic bone stress injury

Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 2005

Hip joint range of motion;

Research paper thumbnail of Hip joint range of motion restriction precedes athletic chronic groin injury

Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 2007

Although a restricted hip range of motion has been previously associated with chronic groin injur... more Although a restricted hip range of motion has been previously associated with chronic groin injury the temporal course of this association remains unclear. Accordingly the purpose of this prospective cohort study was to report preliminary findings examining whether hip joint range of motion restriction is associated with subsequent onset of athletic chronic groin injury. End-range internal and external hip joint range of motion was determined in 29 elite Australian football players, without previous history of groin injury. The players were followed for two subsequent playing seasons for the development of chronic groin injury. Four athletes developed chronic groin injury defined as at least 6 weeks of groin pain and missing match playing time. In athletes that developed chronic groin injury a lower body weight (p=0.02) and reduced total hip joint range of motion (p=0.03) were found to be associated. This study suggests that hip stiffness is associated with later development of chronic groin injury and as such may be a risk factor for this condition. This work should be viewed as preliminary and caution is advised in applying the conclusion to clinical practice as the numbers in this study were small.

Research paper thumbnail of Assessment of player performance following return to sport after hamstring muscle strain injury

Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 2006

To determine if there is any decrease in playing performance of athletes following return to spor... more To determine if there is any decrease in playing performance of athletes following return to sport after recovery from hamstring muscle strain injury. Prospective cohort study. One professional Australian football team over two playing seasons. For every game, the team coach rated player performance proportional to time spent on the ground playing (an integer score out of a maximum of 10). Player performance ratings were compared pre- and post-hamstring muscle strain injury to assess player performance upon return to sport. Thirteen athletes had hamstring injuries and the required player ratings were available. The mean player performance rating for the entire playing season in which the player was injured was 6.9. The mean player performance rating for the two games prior to injury was 6.8 as opposed to 5.4 for the two games after return to sport. Athletes had a significantly lower player performance rating immediately upon return to sport when compared to ratings for the entire season (p<0.001) and when compared to ratings from the two games prior to injury (p<0.001). Following return to sport from hamstring injury, player performance as assessed by the team coach is reduced. This suggests that some athletes may return to sport prior to complete resolution of the injury.

Research paper thumbnail of Assessment of Physical Examination and Magnetic Resonance Imaging Findings of Hamstring Injury as Predictors for Recurrent Injury

Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy, 2006

Study Design: Prospective cohort study. Objective: To examine clinical and magnetic resonance ima... more Study Design: Prospective cohort study. Objective: To examine clinical and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features of hamstring muscle injury to determine if any are predictive for recurrent injury. Background: Hamstring muscle strain injury and subsequent recurrent injury are common. Little information exists on factors that may increase the risk for recurrent injury.

Research paper thumbnail of Are systemic emboli reduced in computer-assisted knee surgery?: A PROSPECTIVE, RANDOMISED, CLINICAL TRIAL

Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery - British Volume, 2006

We undertook a prospective, randomised study using a non-invasive transcranial Doppler device to ... more We undertook a prospective, randomised study using a non-invasive transcranial Doppler device to evaluate cranial embolisation in computer-assisted navigated total knee arthroplasty (n = 14) and compared this with a standard conventional surgical technique using intramedullary alignment guides (n = 10). All patients were selected randomly without the knowledge of the patient, anaesthetists (before the onset of the procedure) and ward staff. The operations were performed by a single surgeon at one hospital using a uniform surgical approach, instrumentation, technique and release sequence. The only variable in the two groups of patients was the use of single tracker pins of the imageless navigation system in the tibia and femur of the navigated group and intramedullary femoral and tibial alignment jigs in the non-navigated group. Acetabular Doppler signals were obtained in 14 patients in the computer-assisted group and nine (90%) in the conventional group, in whom high-intensity signals were detected in seven computer-assisted patients (50%) and in all of the non-navigated patients. In the computer-assisted group no patient had more than two detectable emboli, with a mean of 0.64 (SD 0.74). In the non-navigated group the number of emboli ranged from one to 43 and six patients had more than two detectable emboli, with a mean of 10.7 (sd 13.5). The difference between the two groups was highly significant using the Wilcoxon non-parametric test (p = 0.0003).Our findings show that computer-assisted total knee arthroplasty, when compared with conventional jig-based surgery, significantly reduces systemic emboli as detected by transcranial Doppler ultrasonography.

Research paper thumbnail of Lower Back Injuries in Rowing National Level Compared tAo International Level Rowers

Asian Journal of Sports Medicine, Aug 23, 2014

Rowing injuries are common, with lower back injuries having the highest incidence. This study was... more Rowing injuries are common, with lower back injuries having the highest incidence. This study was to investigate the major rowing injuries seen at a single high performance rowing sports program over a 5 years training period and establish if any relationship exists between these injuries and the level of competition that the rower is partaking in. All rowers at the South Australian Sports Institute (SASI) programs were designated as being either international or national level rowers. Injuries that caused greater than 5 days training loss during any one training year were recorded. The number of lower back injuries and rib stress injuries causing training time loss were analysed to assess whether there was any association between the level of rower and the nature and type of injury causing training time loss. Forty-five national rowers (97 training years) had 15 lower back injuries compared to 12 international rowers 35 training years) with 1 lower back injury. Thus a national level rower was more likely to have a lower back injury compared to an international rower P = 0.05. In contrast an international level was more likely to have a rib stress fracture compared to a national rower P = 0.04. 21% of all injuries in this study were a consequence of cycling injuries. Lower back injuries are a significant cause of training time lost in rowers. These injuries are much more likely to occur in national level rowers when compared to international level rowers. In contrast rib stress injuries are associated with international compared to national level rowers.

Research paper thumbnail of Doctor on the sidelines

Medical Journal of Australia, Mar 6, 2006

Research paper thumbnail of ISMJ -Pathophysiology of Chronic Groin Pain in the Athlete Pathophysiology of Chronic Groin Pain in the Athlete

Chronic groin pain is a common symptom in the football and hockey codes. Although there is a larg... more Chronic groin pain is a common symptom in the football and hockey codes. Although there is a large differential diagnosis, this review focuses upon the peri-pubic causes of isolated groin pain (pubalgia). Publications that included a hypothesis of the cause of pubalgia were reviewed. The competing views were that pubalgia arises from a single pathology, multiple unrelated pathologies, and multiple interdependent pathologies. An interdependent model is the most practical, in the absence of scientific proof for either paradigm. Posterior inguinal canal deficiency is established as a common finding in male athletes, but it may be asymptomatic. Osteitis pubis and insertional adductor tendinopathy are also both common entities that often are considered to coexist. Overuse in sports involving kicking, sprinting, and changing direction is implicated as a cause of pubalgia by all paradigms. Various surgeries to the pubic region may achieve results by i) correcting a force imbalance at the p...

Research paper thumbnail of Pelvis, Groin, and Hips

An Illustrated Guide to the Management of Injuries in Physical Activity, 2012

Research paper thumbnail of 6. Doctor on the sidelines

The Medical journal of Australia, Jan 6, 2006

Effectively managing on-field emergencies is the most important role of the doctor on the sidelin... more Effectively managing on-field emergencies is the most important role of the doctor on the sidelines. Pre-event preparation is essential and should include a formulated plan for dealing with emergencies and access to emergency equipment such as a stretcher and a bag and mask. Game day injuries should be assessed by adhering as closely as possible to a normal clinical consultation, with a proper history and examination being performed for all injuries. The athlete with an on-field head injury should be treated as having a concomitant cervical spine injury until proven otherwise. Athletes with any symptoms after head injury should be comprehensively and continuously assessed. Return-to-play decisions are made by balancing the risk of injury recurrence, the potential severity of injury recurrence and the benefits of returning to the field (which are higher at elite than amateur level). There is currently a shortage of doctors willing to cover sports events in Australia, which is partial...

Research paper thumbnail of Groin pain in footballers: the association between preseason clinical and pubic bone magnetic resonance imaging findings and athlete outcome

The American journal of sports medicine, 2005

Groin pain and tenderness are common in athletes from a variety of codes of football, but little ... more Groin pain and tenderness are common in athletes from a variety of codes of football, but little attention has been directed to the influence of magnetic resonance imaging and such clinical findings on athlete participation. Preseason groin pain, tenderness, and magnetic resonance imaging findings such as pubic bone marrow edema are associated with restricted training capacity and missed games. Cohort study; Level of evidence, 2. Fifty-two Australian footballers in the national competition were recruited. Preseason groin pain and focal tenderness were recorded, and magnetic resonance imaging of the groin was performed within 1 week of examination. Training restriction and games missed owing to groin pain were documented during the subsequent season. Magnetic resonance imaging showed pubic bone marrow edema in 19 of 52 (37%) footballers and linear parasymphyseal T2 hyperintensity in 16 of 52 (31%) footballers. Groin pain restricted training during the season in 22 of 52 (42%) footbal...

Research paper thumbnail of Diagnostic and prognostic value of clinical findings in 83 athletes with posterior thigh injury: comparison of clinical findings with magnetic resonance imaging documentation of hamstring muscle strain

The American journal of sports medicine

Little is known about the clinical features of posterior thigh injuries and their contribution to... more Little is known about the clinical features of posterior thigh injuries and their contribution to accurate diagnosis and prognostic assessment of hamstring muscle strain injury. The clinical features of posterior thigh injury can be used to diagnose hamstring muscle strain and to predict duration of absence from competition. Prospective clinical study. For two playing seasons, the clinical features of posterior thigh injury, timing of injury, and playing days lost were recorded for Australian Rules football players. Magnetic resonance imaging was used to confirm hamstring muscle injury. Posterior thigh injuries associated with pain and tenderness were recorded for 83 players, with magnetic resonance imaging confirming hamstring injury in 68 (82%). Most of the hamstring injuries were sudden onset (62; 91%) and occurred after a significant warm-up period (57; 84%). Of the patients whose injuries were sudden onset and occurred after the warm-up period (N = 59), 57 (97%) had hamstring m...

Research paper thumbnail of Hamstring injury in athletes: using MR imaging measurements to compare extent of muscle injury with amount of time lost from competition

AJR. American journal of roentgenology, 2002

The purpose of this study was to examine relationships between MR imaging measurements of the ext... more The purpose of this study was to examine relationships between MR imaging measurements of the extent of hamstring injury and the amount of time lost from competition in a group of athletes. Thirty-seven athletes with suspected hamstring injury underwent T1 and inversion recovery T2 turbo spin-echo MR imaging in axial and sagittal planes. The presence and dimensions of abnormal focal intra- and extramuscular T2 hyperintensity were independently recorded by two radiologists, and the muscles involved and intramuscular location of injury were noted. The percentage of abnormal cross-sectional muscle area, abnormal muscle volume, and length of extramuscular T2 hyperintensity were measured from T2-weighted images depicting the maximal extent of the injury. Time (days) lost from competition was noted during follow-up. MR imaging detected hamstring muscle and linear extramuscular T2 hyperintensity in 30 (81%) and 25 (68%) of 37 athletes, respectively. The long head of the biceps was the domi...

Research paper thumbnail of Thigh

An Illustrated Guide to the Management of Injuries in Physical Activity, 2012

Research paper thumbnail of Preventing Hamstring Injuries

Sports Injury Prevention, 2009

Research paper thumbnail of Lower Back Injuries in Rowing National Level Compared to International Level Rowers

Asian Journal of Sports Medicine, 2014

Rowing injuries are common, with lower back injuries having the highest incidence. This study was... more Rowing injuries are common, with lower back injuries having the highest incidence. This study was to investigate the major rowing injuries seen at a single high performance rowing sports program over a 5 years training period and establish if any relationship exists between these injuries and the level of competition that the rower is partaking in. All rowers at the South Australian Sports Institute (SASI) programs were designated as being either international or national level rowers. Injuries that caused greater than 5 days training loss during any one training year were recorded. The number of lower back injuries and rib stress injuries causing training time loss were analysed to assess whether there was any association between the level of rower and the nature and type of injury causing training time loss. Forty-five national rowers (97 training years) had 15 lower back injuries compared to 12 international rowers 35 training years) with 1 lower back injury. Thus a national level rower was more likely to have a lower back injury compared to an international rower P = 0.05. In contrast an international level was more likely to have a rib stress fracture compared to a national rower P = 0.04. 21% of all injuries in this study were a consequence of cycling injuries. Lower back injuries are a significant cause of training time lost in rowers. These injuries are much more likely to occur in national level rowers when compared to international level rowers. In contrast rib stress injuries are associated with international compared to national level rowers.

Research paper thumbnail of Analysis of the Three Most Prevalent Injuries in Australian Football Demonstrates a Season to Season Association Between Groin/Hip/Osteitis Pubis Injuries With ACL Knee Injuries

Asian journal of sports medicine, 2014

Injuries are common in contact sports like Australian football. The Australian Football League (A... more Injuries are common in contact sports like Australian football. The Australian Football League (AFL) has developed an extensive injury surveillance database that can be used for epidemiological studies. The purpose of this study is to identify any association between the three most prevalent injuries in the AFL. From the AFL injury surveillance data 1997-2012 the injury incidence (new injuries per club per season) and the injury prevalence data (missed games per club per season) were analysed to detect the three most common injuries that would cause a player to miss a match in the AFL. The three most prevalent injuries in the AFL are hamstring strains, groin/hip/osteitis pubis injuries and Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) knee injuries. Following this, further study was undertaken to detect the presence of any statistical relationship between injury incidences of the three most prevalent injuries over this sixteen year study period. Statistical analysis demonstrates for any given ye...

Research paper thumbnail of Description of pain provocation tests used for the diagnosis of sports-related chronic groin pain: relationship of tests to defined clinical (pain and tenderness) and MRI (pubic bone marrow oedema) criteria

Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports, 2005

Research paper thumbnail of Outcome of Athletic Chronic Groin Injury Treated with Conservative Management

Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 2006

Research paper thumbnail of CLINICAL FEATURES OF 83 POSTERIOR THIGH INJURIES WITH MRI CORRELATION

Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 2003

Research paper thumbnail of Hip joint range of motion reduction in sports-related chronic groin injury diagnosed as pubic bone stress injury

Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 2005

Hip joint range of motion;

Research paper thumbnail of Hip joint range of motion restriction precedes athletic chronic groin injury

Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 2007

Although a restricted hip range of motion has been previously associated with chronic groin injur... more Although a restricted hip range of motion has been previously associated with chronic groin injury the temporal course of this association remains unclear. Accordingly the purpose of this prospective cohort study was to report preliminary findings examining whether hip joint range of motion restriction is associated with subsequent onset of athletic chronic groin injury. End-range internal and external hip joint range of motion was determined in 29 elite Australian football players, without previous history of groin injury. The players were followed for two subsequent playing seasons for the development of chronic groin injury. Four athletes developed chronic groin injury defined as at least 6 weeks of groin pain and missing match playing time. In athletes that developed chronic groin injury a lower body weight (p=0.02) and reduced total hip joint range of motion (p=0.03) were found to be associated. This study suggests that hip stiffness is associated with later development of chronic groin injury and as such may be a risk factor for this condition. This work should be viewed as preliminary and caution is advised in applying the conclusion to clinical practice as the numbers in this study were small.

Research paper thumbnail of Assessment of player performance following return to sport after hamstring muscle strain injury

Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 2006

To determine if there is any decrease in playing performance of athletes following return to spor... more To determine if there is any decrease in playing performance of athletes following return to sport after recovery from hamstring muscle strain injury. Prospective cohort study. One professional Australian football team over two playing seasons. For every game, the team coach rated player performance proportional to time spent on the ground playing (an integer score out of a maximum of 10). Player performance ratings were compared pre- and post-hamstring muscle strain injury to assess player performance upon return to sport. Thirteen athletes had hamstring injuries and the required player ratings were available. The mean player performance rating for the entire playing season in which the player was injured was 6.9. The mean player performance rating for the two games prior to injury was 6.8 as opposed to 5.4 for the two games after return to sport. Athletes had a significantly lower player performance rating immediately upon return to sport when compared to ratings for the entire season (p<0.001) and when compared to ratings from the two games prior to injury (p<0.001). Following return to sport from hamstring injury, player performance as assessed by the team coach is reduced. This suggests that some athletes may return to sport prior to complete resolution of the injury.

Research paper thumbnail of Assessment of Physical Examination and Magnetic Resonance Imaging Findings of Hamstring Injury as Predictors for Recurrent Injury

Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy, 2006

Study Design: Prospective cohort study. Objective: To examine clinical and magnetic resonance ima... more Study Design: Prospective cohort study. Objective: To examine clinical and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features of hamstring muscle injury to determine if any are predictive for recurrent injury. Background: Hamstring muscle strain injury and subsequent recurrent injury are common. Little information exists on factors that may increase the risk for recurrent injury.

Research paper thumbnail of Are systemic emboli reduced in computer-assisted knee surgery?: A PROSPECTIVE, RANDOMISED, CLINICAL TRIAL

Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery - British Volume, 2006

We undertook a prospective, randomised study using a non-invasive transcranial Doppler device to ... more We undertook a prospective, randomised study using a non-invasive transcranial Doppler device to evaluate cranial embolisation in computer-assisted navigated total knee arthroplasty (n = 14) and compared this with a standard conventional surgical technique using intramedullary alignment guides (n = 10). All patients were selected randomly without the knowledge of the patient, anaesthetists (before the onset of the procedure) and ward staff. The operations were performed by a single surgeon at one hospital using a uniform surgical approach, instrumentation, technique and release sequence. The only variable in the two groups of patients was the use of single tracker pins of the imageless navigation system in the tibia and femur of the navigated group and intramedullary femoral and tibial alignment jigs in the non-navigated group. Acetabular Doppler signals were obtained in 14 patients in the computer-assisted group and nine (90%) in the conventional group, in whom high-intensity signals were detected in seven computer-assisted patients (50%) and in all of the non-navigated patients. In the computer-assisted group no patient had more than two detectable emboli, with a mean of 0.64 (SD 0.74). In the non-navigated group the number of emboli ranged from one to 43 and six patients had more than two detectable emboli, with a mean of 10.7 (sd 13.5). The difference between the two groups was highly significant using the Wilcoxon non-parametric test (p = 0.0003).Our findings show that computer-assisted total knee arthroplasty, when compared with conventional jig-based surgery, significantly reduces systemic emboli as detected by transcranial Doppler ultrasonography.