This week in Sports Medicine

Jul 6–12, 2026 · 13 new studies, 10 reviews · Sports Medicine archive · All weeks

The new Sports Medicine research The Reduction sent the week of Jul 6–12, 2026, with the week’s most recent reviews, each with a one-line summary.

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New research

  1. Osteochondral Autograft Transfer for Focal Osteochondral Defects of the Knee: Indications, Technique, Outcomes, and Future Directions.

    Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery (American) · Sep 02 2026 · PubMed

    Osteochondral autograft transfer offers durable joint-preserving outcomes for focal articular cartilage defects in young patients with high return-to-sport rates exceeding 85%.

  2. Open capsuloplasty with conjoint tendon augmentation versus Latarjet procedure in young patients with recurrent shoulder dislocation: a comparative study of 53 patients with 4.2-year follow-up.

    JSES Reviews, Reports & Techniques · Aug 2026 · PubMed

    Conjoint tendon augmentation demonstrated clinical noninferiority to Latarjet procedure for recurrent shoulder dislocation while avoiding bone-block complications.

  3. Risk of Revision and Patient-Reported Outcomes After ACL Reconstruction: Influence of Concomitant MCL Injury and Graft Choice: Analysis of 35,139 Reconstructions From the Norwegian Knee Ligament Register.

    American Journal of Sports Medicine · Aug 2026 · PubMed

    Concomitant MCL injury did not increase ACL revision risk but reduced sport/recreation outcomes; bone-patellar tendon-bone autograft showed lower revision risk than hamstring graft in this population.

  4. Prevalence of rotator cuff tear concomitant with neuropathy: analysis of 659 cases using needle electromyography.

    JSES Reviews, Reports & Techniques · Aug 2026 · PubMed

    Proximal neuropathy occurs in 40% of massive rotator cuff tears and strongly correlates with pseudoparalysis; EMG should guide selective preoperative evaluation of large tears.

  5. High retear rates despite clinical improvement after arthroscopic partial repair for large to massive rotator cuff tears.

    JSES International · Jul 2026 · PubMed

    Arthroscopic partial repair for large-to-massive rotator cuff tears achieved significant pain and functional improvement despite 30% structural retear rate at 2-year follow-up, with worse outcomes in patients with recurrent tears.

  6. Sports Medicine Patients Accurately Predict Their Pain Tolerance.

    Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons · Jul 07 2026 · PubMed

    Sports medicine patients accurately predict their pain tolerance, providing a valuable tool for optimizing clinical decision-making regarding procedural interventions.

  7. Kyphotic Scapular Posture Increases Posterior Deltoid Demand and Acromial-Spine Strain During Shoulder Motion: A Cadaver Study.

    Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research · Jul 07 2026 · PubMed

    Kyphotic scapular posture increases posterior deltoid demand and acromial spine strain by 150%, reducing anterior deltoid mechanical advantage during shoulder motion.

  8. Adding a Lateral Extra-articular Tenodesis to Quadriceps Autograft Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Reduces Risk of Graft Failure.

    Arthroscopy · Jul 01 2026 · PubMed

    Adding lateral extra-articular tenodesis to quadriceps autograft ACL reconstruction reduced graft failure from 29.6% to 14.8% and residual pivot shift rates.

  9. Return to Work Outcomes After Common Sports-Related Orthopaedic Procedures: A Systematic Review Stratified by Occupational Intensity and Workers' Compensation Status.

    American Journal of Sports Medicine · Jun 30 2026 · PubMed

    Full-duty return to work exceeded 90% after meniscectomy, meniscal repair, and ACL reconstruction but ranged 74-77% after rotator cuff repair, hip arthroscopy, and biceps tenodesis, with workers' compensation associated with prolonged timelines.

  10. Hip-Combined Rotational Morphology Has Little Short-Term Impact on Clinical Outcomes Following Hip Arthroscopy in Patients With Femoroacetabular Impingement Syndrome.

    Arthroscopy · Jun 25 2026 · PubMed

    Hip combined rotational morphology has minimal short-term impact on hip arthroscopy outcomes for femoroacetabular impingement, though decreased version slightly reduces minimal clinically important difference achievement.

  11. ''The Global Glenoid Component Inclination: why scapulothoracic orientation should be considered when defining glenoid component inclination in reverse total shoulder arthroplasty''.

    Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery · Jun 24 2026 · PubMed

    Scapular rotation significantly influences effective glenoid component inclination in reverse shoulder arthroplasty despite targeting neutral positioning, suggesting preoperative assessment should guide component placement to optimize outcomes.

  12. Clinical Presentation Patterns and Outcomes of Decompression for Suprascapular Neuropathy: A Retrospective Surgical Series.

    Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research · Jun 23 2026 · PubMed

    Suprascapular nerve decompression significantly improves pain and strength outcomes in young active military patients presenting with compression at the suprascapular notch.

  13. Suprainguinal Lateral Femoral Cutaneous Neurectomy for Recurrent Meralgia Paresthetica: A Technique Guide.

    Arthroscopy Techniques · Feb 2026 · PubMed

    Suprainguinal lateral femoral cutaneous neurectomy treats recurrent meralgia paresthetica when infrainguinal decompression fails; neurectomy is first-line surgical management.

Recent reviews

  1. Multiligament Knee Injuries.

    Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery (American) · Jun 03 2026 · PubMed

    Multiligament knee injuries require thorough evaluation, early single-stage surgery when feasible, and detection of posterolateral corner and meniscal injuries to optimize outcomes.

  2. Long Head of the Biceps Tendon Pathology: From Etiology to Management.

    Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons · Oct 15 2025 · PubMed

    Long head biceps pathology involves complex interplay with superior labrum and rotator cuff; comprehensive evaluation and individualized treatment approaches improve outcomes.

  3. Posterior Shoulder Instability in Athletes.

    JBJS Reviews · Sep 01 2025 · PubMed

    Posterior shoulder instability in athletes presents with pain and instability, diagnosed clinically with imaging, managed nonoperatively initially, with shoulder arthroscopy and posterior labral repair for surgical candidates.

  4. Hip Abductor Tendon Injuries: Diagnosis and Management Strategies.

    JBJS Reviews · Jun 01 2025 · PubMed

    Hip abductor tendon tears are common degenerative injuries in older women and may occur iatrogenically during arthroplasty; management ranges from nonoperative modalities to surgical repair or salvage procedures.

  5. Fibrillar matrix, Echogenicity, Contour, Thickness, and Suture (FECTS) vs. Global: A comparison of 2 scales developed to assess ultrasound images post rotator cuff repair.

    Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery · Apr 2023 · PubMed

    FECTS scale and RCR-IGA scale reliably assess repaired rotator cuff ultrasound appearance, with FECTS better for inexperienced raters and RCR-IGA more time-efficient.

  6. Posterior Humeral Avulsion of the Glenohumeral Ligament: A Critical Analysis Review.

    JBJS Reviews · Aug 01 2022 · PubMed

    Posterior humeral avulsion of the glenohumeral ligament causes posterior instability predominantly in athletes with flexion-adduction-internal rotation injury; diagnosis often requires arthroscopy with arthroscopic fixation as primary treatment.

  7. A Review of the Lateral Patellofemoral Joint: Anatomy, Biomechanics, and Surgical Procedures.

    JAAOS Global Research & Reviews · Jul 01 2022 · PubMed

    Lateral patellofemoral anatomy and biomechanics influence joint stability and tracking; lateral release and retinacular procedures address instability and anterior knee pain.

  8. Overuse Elbow Injuries in Youth Gymnasts.

    American Journal of Sports Medicine · Feb 2022 · PubMed

    Youth gymnasts develop unique lateral elbow overuse injuries including osteochondritis dissecans, radiocapitellar plica, and radial head stress fractures; sport-specific rehabilitation is essential.

  9. Next-Generation Marrow Stimulation Technology for Cartilage Repair: Basic Science to Clinical Application.

    JBJS Reviews · Jan 19 2021 · PubMed

    Next-generation marrow stimulation scaffolds including hyaluronic acid and biosynthetic hydrogels show promise to overcome limitations of traditional microfracture and improve cartilage regeneration.

  10. Elbow Ulnar Collateral Ligament Injuries: Indications, Management, and Outcomes.

    Arthroscopy · May 2020 · PubMed

    UCL injuries in baseball players range from partial tears amenable to rest and throwing programs to complete tears requiring reconstruction with 80-90% return-to-play rates.

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