Sep 21–27, 2026 · 30 new studies, 10 reviews · Sports Medicine archive · All weeks
The new Sports Medicine research The Reduction sent the week of Sep 21–27, 2026, with the week’s most recent reviews, each with a one-line summary.
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Discusses whether sesamoid bones actually subluxate relative to the metatarsal head in hallux valgus, addressing the anatomic basis for deformity and surgical release decisions.
A retensionable double-bundle inlay/onlay MCL reconstruction restored native knee laxity better than single-bundle inlay technique in cadaveric testing.
In collegiate football players, higher-grade hamstring injuries with complete sciatic nerve involvement on MRI predicted significantly longer return-to-sport times.
Focus groups with experienced physiotherapists show they rely on communication, goal-setting, and graded exposure to address psychological readiness after ACL reconstruction, but lack formal training in this area.
In sheep, PRP-enriched chondral matrix implantation produced superior MRI-graded cartilage repair compared to controls, supporting potential clinical use for focal defects.
An international expert consensus reached strong agreement on subscapularis repair technique and tendon transfer indications for rotator cuff tears, but found no consensus on optimal graft augmentation or superior capsular reconstruction approaches.
Cadaveric testing shows increased lateral tibial slope drives anterior tibial translation, while slope asymmetry between compartments drives internal rotation, informing ACL injury and correction strategies.
Adolescents presenting with shoulder instability commonly show bipolar bone loss and short distance to dislocation, suggesting isolated arthroscopic Bankart repair alone may be inadequate for many in this population.
In 521 ACL surgery patients, only injury chronicity (not tear location) independently predicted anterior tibial translation, so tear type shouldn't be used to predict knee laxity.
At mean 10-year follow-up, adding femoral head-neck osteochondroplasty to PAO for hip dysplasia yielded similar clinical outcomes but far lower reoperation rates than PAO alone, supporting concurrent impingement correction.
Despite radiographic progression of patellofemoral osteoarthritis in over half of knees after open-wedge high tibial osteotomy, this progression did not worsen long-term clinical outcomes at 10+ years.
Most patients achieve MCID, PASS, and SCB thresholds after Bernese PAO, but longer symptom duration and severe femoral antetorsion predict worse clinically meaningful outcomes, informing preoperative counseling.
ACL injuries with Segond fractures show more lateral meniscus oblique radial tears and greater residual rotational instability postoperatively, despite similar clinical outcomes.
In 148 acute complete PCL injuries, multiligament injury, medial meniscus tear, hyperextension bone bruise pattern, and younger age predicted proximal (vs midsubstance) tear location on MRI.
Large database analysis shows prior myocardial infarction, especially within 6 months, substantially raises the risk of postoperative MI after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair, particularly without prior PCI.
This commentary argues the SANTI classification is useful for clinically screening arthrogenic muscle inhibition after ACL reconstruction but should not be equated with mechanistic measures like voluntary activation testing.
In elite female footballers, preseason isokinetic strength testing had limited independent value for predicting noncontact lower extremity injuries, though a lower hamstring-to-quadriceps ratio showed a modest protective association, arguing against its use as a standalone screening tool.
Among 165 ACLR patients, persistent lack of knee confidence at 2 years was linked to significantly lower activity and sports function scores, independent of age, sex, or graft type.
Arthroscopic suture anchor fixation of bony Bankart lesions maintained excellent shoulder stability, high satisfaction, and low reoperation rates at a mean 18-year follow-up.
Research in OsteoChondritis of the Knee-ROCK Research Study Group.
Summarizes the ROCK consortium's decade of multicenter research on knee osteochondritis dissecans, including epidemiology, validated imaging classifications, outcome measures, and trials comparing drilling techniques.
Hip arthroscopy in patients with global acetabular overcoverage achieved significant 5-year outcome improvements comparable to matched controls, but carried double the risk of revision surgery.
In ACL primary repair, poor synovial sheath integrity (<50%) and younger age independently predicted repair failure, and worse sheath integrity correlated with more complex tear patterns and worse outcomes.
Steeper medial posterior tibial slope was linked to progressively greater postoperative anterior tibial translation after ACL reconstruction, an effect lessened by lateral extra-articular tenodesis but worsened by older age and medial cartilage damage.
Knee arthroscopy in pediatric OI patients restores function in most cases but carries notably higher complication (48%) and revision (35%) rates than the general population.
In 441 ACL reconstruction patients with concomitant chondral lesions, cartilage severity and location did not affect return-to-play rates, timing, or performance at 5 years, though high-grade medial lesions predicted worse PROs.
In 456 hips undergoing arthroscopy for FAI, a high femoral impingement index (>75°) predicted worse sport-specific outcome improvement and lower odds of clinically meaningful benefit, especially in men.
Propensity-matched TriNetX cohort study found female athletes on hormonal contraceptives had significantly lower 5-year risk of ACL sprain, meniscal tear, and stress fractures than nonusers.
In a structured hip preservation questionnaire, several large language models (ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude) matched or statistically outperformed expert clinicians in accuracy and consistency, suggesting growing potential as educational adjuncts.
In traumatic massive rotator cuff tears, arthroscopic repair within 3 weeks of injury yielded better ASES functional scores than delayed repair, though retear rates were similar.
In 11 skeletally immature patients with open thigh muscle lacerations (mostly ski-edge injuries), prompt surgical repair and early rehab led to excellent functional scores and full return to sport with no reinjuries or infections.
Early Sport Specialization and Intense Training in Junior Tennis Players: A Sport-Specific Review.
This review finds that early sport specialization and intense training in junior tennis raise injury risk and burnout without improving elite performance, prompting specific age- and volume-based training recommendations.
Current Approaches to Arthroscopic Management of Anterior Shoulder Instability.
This review covers current arthroscopic management of anterior shoulder instability, emphasizing glenoid track concept, remplissage indications, and Latarjet versus distal tibial allograft reconstruction for bone loss.
Evaluation and Management of Meniscal Tears.
Meniscal preservation via individualized repair techniques and selective biologic augmentation is favored over resection, which worsens joint stress and accelerates osteoarthritis.
Neck Lacerations in Ice Hockey: A Current Concepts Review From On-Ice Treatment to Prevention.
This narrative review outlines neck anatomy at risk, on-ice management, and evidence supporting mandatory neck laceration protectors to prevent potentially fatal skate-related neck injuries in ice hockey.
This review concludes that structured exercise remains a reasonable first-line treatment for degenerative meniscal tears, with arthroscopic partial meniscectomy reserved for patients failing nonoperative therapy.
An update on current concepts and management of mid-substance Achilles tendinopathy.
Comprehensive review recommends staged management of Achilles mid-substance tendinopathy starting with eccentric exercise, then high-volume injection or shockwave therapy, reserving surgery for refractory cases.
Reconstructive and salvage techniques for proximal interphalangeal joint fracture dislocations.
This review outlines reconstructive (osteochondral graft-based) and salvage surgical options for proximal interphalangeal joint fracture dislocations and proposes an algorithm to guide surgeons in choosing between them.
Treatment and Prevention of Injuries in Skeletally Immature Throwing Athletes.
This review covers diagnosis, treatment, and prevention strategies for common overuse throwing injuries—like Little League shoulder/elbow and UCL injuries—in skeletally immature athletes.
Preventing Exertional Heat Stroke in Football: Time for a Paradigm Shift.
Reviews why linemen bear 97% of football-related exertional heat stroke deaths and argues for position-specific conditioning, heat-load-adjusted training, and elimination of punitive exertion to prevent fatalities.
Injuries, Risk Factors, and Prevention Strategies in Bicycle Motocross (BMX): A Scoping Review.
This scoping review of 37 studies found BMX injury surveillance is inconsistent and mostly limited to elite competitions, highlighting a need for rigorous community-based studies to guide prevention strategies.
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