Aug 31 – Sep 6, 2026 · 32 new studies, 10 reviews · Sports Medicine archive · All weeks
The new Sports Medicine research The Reduction sent the week of Aug 31 – Sep 6, 2026, with the week’s most recent reviews, each with a one-line summary.
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In a large propensity-matched database study, tobacco users had significantly worse complications after rotator cuff repair than nonusers, while nontobacco nicotine users had a milder risk profile similar to nonusers aside from slightly more adhesion lysis.
Comparing four AI language models against expert Delphi consensus for massive irreparable rotator cuff tear management, OpenEvidence and ChatGPT performed best but none matched expert-level decision-making.
In a large Swedish registry study of football players, ACL autograft type was not associated with revision ACL reconstruction, though quadriceps tendon grafts were linked to higher contralateral ACL injury risk in women.
A randomized trial found an 8-week smartphone-based digital therapeutic combining exercise and cognitive-behavioral therapy significantly reduced pain and improved function versus standard education in chronic patellofemoral pain.
Longitudinal monitoring of competitive athletes found that injury risk was more strongly linked to the mismatch between training load and recovery status than to load alone, with recovery declining before injury onset.
Quadriceps Tendon Autograft Harvest Technique Affects Both Graft Strength and Cross-sectional Area.
Cadaveric testing showed quadriceps tendon autografts had greater cross-sectional area and biomechanical strength than BTB grafts, with full-thickness double-blade harvest yielding the largest, strongest QT grafts.
A Repair-Tension Sweet Zone Maximizes Tendon-to-Bone Healing in a Rat Rotator Cuff Model.
In a rat rotator cuff model, a moderate repair-tension "sweet zone" (0.10-0.12 N/mm²) produced the strongest, stiffest, and best-organized tendon-to-bone healing compared to lower or higher tensions.
The pectoralis major reference technique improved tuberosity healing, humeral height restoration, and rotational function compared to conventional technique in hemiarthroplasty for complex proximal humeral fractures.
An arthroscopic 3-tunnel suture-bridge technique for PCL tibial avulsion fractures achieved excellent functional recovery, restored knee stability, and reliable bony union at 2-year follow-up.
In medial UKA patients selected by MRI, mild concomitant lateral bone marrow lesions did not worsen mid-term pain, function, or alignment outcomes compared to isolated medial lesions.
In 59 patients undergoing combined ACL reconstruction and bucket-handle medial meniscal repair, greater arthroscopic synovial coverage of the ACL graft strongly correlated with meniscal healing, suggesting synovialization as a biological marker of repair success.
A deep learning model analyzing intraoperative arthroscopic images after rotator cuff repair predicted early tendon healing versus retear with high accuracy, potentially helping identify patients needing delayed rehabilitation.
Analysis of 363 Division I pitchers found that proximodistal segmental momentum sequencing timing predicts ball velocity and shoulder/elbow loading differently across arm slots, suggesting timing-focused training could reduce throwing injury risk.
Cadaveric study shows MCL repair with or without suture augmentation reduces ACL force versus a cut MCL, but adding augmentation only modestly lowers residual valgus laxity at mid-flexion angles.
In a large database study, meniscal repairs combined with PCL reconstruction had significantly lower failure and revision rates than isolated meniscal repairs, similar to benefits seen with concomitant ACL reconstruction.
Dermal allograft patch augmentation with triple-row repair for large-to-massive rotator cuff tears yielded a low 12.8% retear rate and favorable clinical outcomes with no adverse events at ~32 months.
About 31% of patients undergoing MACI cartilage biopsy for knee chondral defects went on to implantation at a median of 9.4 months, with lower BMI predicting progression and most non-implanted patients still improving symptomatically.
This technique article details an arthroscopic subscapularis sling procedure using a glenoid bone tunnel and half-bundle peroneus longus tendon graft with labral reconstruction as an alternative treatment for recurrent anterior shoulder instability.
In this cross-sectional survey of 266 youth athletes, higher sport specialization motivation was linked to lower intent to quit next year, while females cited coaching and competition as quitting reasons more than males, highlighting the need to balance specialization's benefits against its risks.
Oral Contraceptive Use at the Time of ACL Reconstruction Decreases Risk of Revision Surgery.
In a large database study, women using oral contraceptives at ACL reconstruction had a 25% lower 5-year risk of ipsilateral revision surgery without increased VTE risk.
A 25-year English HES analysis found knee osteotomy has low 90-day and 1-year reoperation/complication rates, with higher comorbidity burden predicting serious complications.
One year after ACL reconstruction, achieving patient-acceptable symptom state on KOOS often did not correspond with restored quadriceps strength symmetry, regardless of graft type, showing these measures are complementary, not interchangeable.
Long-term follow-up after ACL reconstruction shows postoperative infection dramatically raises risk of 3-compartment osteoarthritis (100% vs 35% in controls), despite similar clinical scores.
Over 12 months, badminton and Taekwondo collegiate athletes showed greater femoral cartilage thickness/area than archery athletes and nonathletes but also demonstrated sport-specific declines, suggesting early cartilage adaptation patterns worth monitoring.
In a randomized trial, adding telerehabilitation-based motor control exercises after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair improved scapular mobility and shoulder strength more than standard telerehab alone, though functional scores were similar.
In young high-risk ACL reconstruction patients, increased posterior tibial slope raised revision risk, but adding lateral extra-articular tenodesis independently lowered revision rates regardless of slope.
Minimum 5-Year Follow-up After Arthroscopic Latarjet: Outcomes and Complications.
At minimum 5-year follow-up, arthroscopic Latarjet showed low recurrence, high satisfaction, sustained WOSI improvement, and quality of life comparable to the general population.
Arthroscopic Superior Capsule Reconstruction Using Hamstring Allograft in V-Shaped Configuration.
This technique article describes an all-arthroscopic superior capsule reconstruction using a V-shaped hamstring allograft as a reproducible, lower-cost alternative for massive irreparable rotator cuff tears.
In a matched cohort with Walch B2/B3 glenoids, anatomic TSA with a posterior augmented glenoid and reverse TSA gave similarly excellent 2-year outcomes, though anatomic TSA had better rotation/flexion but more radiolucency.
In 90° sidestep cutting, biological sex—more than task anticipation—dominantly shapes trunk, pelvic, and knee biomechanics, supporting sex-specific training and injury-prevention benchmarks.
In elite futsal players, sessions with higher task specificity and match days produced greater external/internal load and fatigue, supporting tailored load monitoring for injury prevention.
Reduced compression time is not sufficient for stability in patellar buttons.
In cadaveric patellar buttons, shortening cement compression time to 30s increased micromotion versus 600s despite similar shear strength, suggesting full compression time should be maintained for optimal fixation.
Review of Current Management of Navicular Stress Fractures in Athletes.
This review finds that operative ORIF for type 2/3 navicular stress fractures in high-level athletes yields faster, more reliable return to activity than traditional nonweightbearing management.
This ESSKA-ICRS consensus using RAND/UCLA methodology defines appropriate patient selection for point-of-care cell-based injections in knee osteoarthritis, generally favoring younger age, non-obese BMI, and moderate (KL II-III) disease while deeming it inappropriate in end-stage OA or advanced age.
Management of Anterior Glenohumeral Dislocations in Elderly Patients.
This review outlines management strategies for anterior glenohumeral dislocations in elderly patients, emphasizing individualized decisions among conservative care, rotator cuff repair, glenoid fixation, and reverse shoulder arthroplasty based on injury pattern and function.
This scoping review of 35 studies finds preoperative GLP-1 receptor agonist use in orthopaedic surgery is generally associated with similar or lower complication, infection, and readmission rates, though spine surgery outcomes are mixed.
Two-Incision Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction.
Two-incision ACL reconstruction remains a useful, low-cost technique especially for revision surgery and patellar tendon autografts, despite being largely supplanted by minimally invasive methods.
This review explains how small-sided game design (e.g., area per player) affects mechanical load in adolescent soccer players and offers practical guidelines to individualize training and reduce injury risk during growth.
Tendon transfer for massive rotator cuff tears: A narrative review.
This narrative review outlines indications, biomechanics, outcomes, and complications of tendon transfer options for managing irreparable rotator cuff tears.
Making Sense of Topical Pain Relief Options: Comparing Topical Analgesics in Efficacy and Safety.
This review finds topical NSAIDs, lidocaine, and nitroglycerin patches have the strongest evidence for musculoskeletal pain, rotator cuff pain, and postherpetic neuralgia respectively, guiding selection by pain type and patient factors.
This scoping review finds shoulder injuries—mainly anterior instability and overuse—are common in weightlifting, driven by technique errors, positioning, and overtraining regardless of age or gender.
This AAOS clinical practice guideline offers evidence-based recommendations and options for diagnosing and managing acute isolated meniscal pathology.
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