Welcome to the September issue of CJSM, our 5th issue in 2023.
This month's line-up includes a special collection of articles on exercise genomics collated by Professor Yannis Pitsiladis, commencing with an Editorial introduction to the topic written by Danielle Hiam, Patrice Jones, Yannis Pitsiladis and Eynon Yannis.
The genomics collection includes interesting articles highlighting associations between gene variants and conditions such as concussion and rotator-cuff tendinopathy in young athletes.
We also include studies on other aspects of exercise genomics such as the MMAAS project (An observational human study investigating the effect of anabolic androgenic steroid use on gene expression and the molecular mechanism of muscle memory), Metabolomic profiling of recombinant erythropoietin in trained caucasian athletes, and Whole-blood and peripheral mononuclear cell transcriptional response to prolonged altitude exposure in well-trained runners.
In other research offerings this issue, Eliason and colleagues present their work on factors associated with concussion rates in youth ice hockey players as part of a 5-year prospective cohort study.
This study was the longest of it's kind in Canadian youth ice hockey to date, involving 4018 males and 405 females in age groups 11-12, 13-14, and 15-17 year old. Risk factors assessed included bodychecking policy, age group, year and level of play, previous injury history, lifetime concussion history, sex, player weight and position.
The Authors recorded a total of 554 game and 63 practice-related concussions. Females, those playing at lower levels of play, and players with a previous injury or concussion history had higher rates of concussion than other players. Bodychecking bans in games and being a goaltender were protective against game-related concussions.
The Authors concluded that policy prohibiting bodychecking remains an effective concussion prevention strategy in youth ice hockey.
Williamson and colleagues present a study with a different focus on Canadian youth ice hockey, posing a question as to whether referees can assess head contact penalties correctly. A series of 120 video clips of player-to-player physical contact were presented as part of an online survey to referees, asking their opinions on whether or not they thought that there was a player-to-player contact, if so whether a penalty should be assessed, which player should receive a penalty, which penalty type and intensity should be recorded.
One hundred referees' responses were analysed, with the Authors finding >80% validity in referees' decisions to assess head contact infractions on percentage agreement, but with 26% false negatives suggesting concerns around the level of accuracy when assessing these events. They concluded that further research should consider factors which may affect referee decision-making during the heat of games when they are enforcing head contact policy.
Regular listeners to our CJSM podcast series may recall hearing a recent podcast interview conducted by Dr Erin Hammer, our Junior Associate Editor representative for the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine (AMSSM), with the Lead Author Rylen Williamson. For those who have not yet listened, the podcast is available here and is well worth hearing.
Other research included this issue includes a retrospective chart review of the presentation, diagnosis and treatment of neurogenic thoracic outlet syndrome in division 1 collegiate athletes, video analyses and MRI findings of indirect rectus femoris injury mechanisms in professional soccer, and a study on the association between first attempt Buffalo concussion treadmill test and days to recovery in 855 children with sport-related concussion.
Our General Review this month by Dzator and Colleagues focuses on the agreement between dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and bioelectric impedence analysis (BIA) for assessing body composition in athletes. This systematic review and meta-analysis concludes that BIA overestimates total fat-free mass when compared with DXA, and the Authors recommend that clinicians should not use BIA interchangeably with DXA as part of the assessment of body composition among athletes.
Don't forget to check out our social media channels, including Instagram , Twitter and Facebook, and explore our CME offerings on the Lippincott CME Connection website with some free modules available for all to try, offering ACCME credits.
Finally, remember to tune in for our podcasts with Dr Erin Hammer and guests, which are available on our website and on iTunes.
We hope that you enjoy this month's issue.
Until next time, best wishes to you all,
Chris
Christopher Hughes MBBS MSc
Editor-in-Chief
