Risk for heat illness – person-factors, environment, and their combination

Why is this study important? Exertional heat illness (EHI) is a threat whenever people exercise for long periods of time in the heat. Risks for EHI include intrinsic factors, such as fitness, medical history, and demographics. Extrinsic factors include hot weather conditions. This study leveraged a large standardized database from US defense administrative records. The […]

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Introducing the BacKS: a survey to measure your patients’ knowledge and beliefs about low back pain

Authors: Leticia Corrêa, Simon French, Mark Hancock, and Stephanie Mathieson Low back pain is a leading cause of disability worldwide and pain education is one of the first-line recommended treatments for people with low back pain [1-3]. The assessment of people’s knowledge and beliefs about low back pain is important to provide an individualised treatment […]

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Safe sport steps up to the podium: why 2025 may be a tipping point for global safeguarding

Authors: Yetsa A. Tuakli-Wosornu, Kirsty Burrows, Daniel Rhind Introduction Success in elite sport has historically been defined by athletic achievement alone(1,2). Each Olympiad, countries present their best competitors to the world and are largely judged by their medal success. However, recent editions of the Olympic and Paralympic Games have seen a shift: against the backdrop of […]

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Does Sitting Too Much Cause Neck or Back Pain in Children and Teenagers? A Study Summary

Key words: Sitting, screen time, back pain  This blog is based on our recent systematic review and meta-analysis (1). Our study explored whether spending too much time sitting causes neck or back pain in children and teenagers or if it makes existing neck or back pain worse. Why is this study important? Childhood and adolescence is […]

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Utilising a pre-participation evaluation to support the Ramadan fasted athlete.

During the 2023/24 season, we piloted the implementation of a pre-participation evaluation (PHE) questionnaire specifically designed for athletes observing Ramadan fasting (1).  This proposal sought to address the complex challenges facing our Muslim players during the holy month, including balancing energy levels, maintaining hydration and nutrition within limited eating windows, and managing disrupted sleep schedules(2, […]

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Exploring the hidden link: high-performance athletes, health and abuse

Keywords: Athlete abuse, injuries, mental health, high-performance sport “Olympic level sport takes more than just your daily dedication during practice hours.  And when I say that I go beyond the obvious notion of dieting, resting, and even-meditating. What starts as a child’s dream ends up becoming not just something you do, but who you are: […]

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Response to: The ‘nervy’ business of T-junction hamstring injuries

What we have learned treating T-junction injuries amongst professional footballers Keywords: Hamstring, T-junction, Rehabilitation Introduction A recent BJSM blog explored the role of neural structures in the occurrence and rehabilitation of distal musculotendinous junction (DMTJ), ‘T-junction’, injuries of the biceps femoris [1]. We read this with interest, having encountered this injury multiple times amongst our […]

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Quadriceps and hamstring muscle strength after ACL reconstruction

Keywords: anterior cruciate ligament, muscle strength, rehabilitation, knee This blog summarises the findings of a recent systematic review of quadriceps and hamstrings strength after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR)(1). Why is this study important? After ACLR, weakness of the thigh muscles (quadriceps and hamstrings) is common, if not universal, with implications for risk of re-injury […]

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