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Background: Tendon injuries are common in athletes and in the general population and require extensive rehabilitation. Current conservative treatment often includes different high-load resistance training (HLRT) modalities. However, certain populations may not tolerate HLRT well. Blood flow restriction training (BFRT) incorporates low load while achieving hypertrophy and strength adaptations comparable to HLRT. However, the effects of BFRT on healthy and pathological tendons are unknown. The aims of this scoping review were therefore to summarize the reported impact of BRFT: (1) on tendon adaptation in healthy individuals, and (2) in tendon rehabilitation after injury.

Methods: A scoping review based on PRISMA guidelines was performed. A systematic literature search in the electronic databases PubMed, SPORTDiscus and CINAHL was performed in May 2024. This review includes peer-reviewed articles investigating the effects of BFRT on healthy tendons and in tendon rehabilitation. Methodological quality was assessed using the Downs and Black scale and JBI Critical Appraisal Checklist.

Results: 19 studies with varied design, population, investigated tendon, intervention design and outcome measures were eligible. Ten studies were randomized controlled trials (RCT), one study was a clinical controlled trial, three studies were feasibility studies and five were case reports. The reviewed studies included 351 healthy subjects and 122 individuals with tendon-related disorders (101 subjects with tendinopathy and 21 subjects with tendon ruptures). Tendons investigated were Achilles (n = 6), patellar (n = 6), hamstring (n = 1), gluteal (n = 1), biceps brachii distal (n = 1), tendons of the rotator cuff (n = 2) and lateral elbow extensors (n = 2). In the nine studies on healthy individuals, the effects of BFRT showed contradictory results regarding tendon-related outcomes. However, changes in outcome measures did not differ significantly from HLRT conditions or low-load resistance training (LLRT) conditions. The studies on tendon rehabilitation also showed contradictory results regarding tendon-related outcomes, although several studies do report decreased pain, increased strength, enhanced performance and improved self-reported diagnosis-specific function.

Conclusions: The present scoping review shows contradictory results regarding tendon-related outcomes although studies point to increasing tendon function after rehabilitation. BFRT may be a viable option to incorporate into training regimes aimed at inducing tendon adaptation. Further in-depth research is warranted. Clinical trial number: This is a review and therefore is Clinical trial number: Not applicable. However, the review has been preregistered at www.osf.io (DOI https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/PYV43) stated in the method section.

Thigh muscle weakness prevails following anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury, as usually evaluated by peak concentric quadriceps strength. Assessment throughout the range of motion (ROM), and for antagonists may provide more comprehensive information. We evaluated angle-specific torque profiles and ratios of isokinetic thigh muscle strength in 70 individuals 23 ± 2 years post-ACL injury (44males, 46.9 ± 5.4 years); 33 treated with ACL-reconstruction (ACL-R), and 37 treated only with physiotherapy (ACL-PT), and 33 controls. Quadriceps and hamstrings torques for concentric/eccentric contractions (90°/s) and ratios between hamstrings/quadriceps strength (HQ) were compared between and within groups using inferential functional data methods. The injured ACL-R leg had lower concentric and eccentric quadriceps strength compared to non-injured leg throughout the ROM, and lower concentric (interval 70–79°) and eccentric (64–67°) quadriceps strength compared to controls. The injured ACL-PT leg showed lower eccentric quadriceps strength (53–77°) than non-injured leg and lower concentric (41–79°) and eccentric (52–81°) quadriceps and eccentric hamstrings (30–77°) strength than controls. There were no group differences for HQ-ratios. The injured ACL-R leg had higher HQ-ratio (34–37°) than non-injured leg. Angle-specific torque profiles revealed strength deficits, masked if using only peak values, and seem valuable for ACL-injury rehabilitation.     

BACKGROUND: Hip fracture (HF) is a significant cause of mortality among older people. Almost half of the patients with HF have dementia, which increases the mortality risk further. Cognitive impairment is associated with depressive disorders (DDs) and both dementia and DDs are independent risk factors for poor outcome after HF. However, most studies that evaluate mortality risk after HF separate these conditions.

AIMS: To investigate whether dementia with depressive disorders (DDwD) affects the mortality risk at 12, 24, and 36 months after HF among older people.

METHODS: Patients with acute HF (n = 404) were included in this retrospective analysis of two randomized controlled trials performed in orthopedic and geriatric departments. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Geriatric Depression Scale and cognitive function was assessed using the Mini-Mental State Examination. A consultant geriatrician made final depressive disorder and dementia diagnoses using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders criteria, with support from assessments and medical records. The 12-, 24- and 36-month mortality after HF was analyzed using logistic regression models adjusted for covariates.

RESULTS: In analyses adjusted for age, sex, comorbidity, pre-fracture walking ability, and fracture type, patients with DDwD had increased mortality risks at 12 [odds ratio (OR) 4.67, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.75-12.51], 24 (OR 3.61, 95% CI 1.71-7.60), and 36 (OR 4.53, 95% CI 2.24-9.14) months. Similar results were obtained for patients with dementia, but not depressive disorders, alone.

CONCLUSION: DDwD is an important risk factor for increased mortality at 12, 24, and 36 months after HF among older people. Routinely assessments after HF for cognitive- and depressive disorders could identify patients at risk for increased mortality, and enable early interventions.

TRIAL REGISTRATION: RCT2: International Standard Randomized Controlled Trial Number Register, trial registration number: ISRCTN15738119.

Background: The risk of sustaining a graft rupture after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) is high. Contributing risk factors are, however, still not clearly identified.

Objective: The aim of this systematic review was to identify and quantify risk factors for graft rupture after ACLR.

Methods: A systematic review with meta-analysis (PROSPERO CRD42020140129) based on PRISMA guidelines was performed. MEDLINE, CINAHL and EMBASE were searched from inception to September 2021. Prospective and retrospective studies addressing risk factors for graft rupture after ACLR in males/females of all ages were considered. Meta-analyses using a random effect model (effect measure: odds ratio [OR] with 95% confidence interval [CI]) were performed. The GRADE tool was used to assess evidence quality.

Results: Following full-text screening of 310 relevant papers, 117 were eventually included, incorporating up to 133,000 individuals in each meta-analysis. Higher Tegner activity level (≥ 7 vs < 7) at primary injury (OR 3.91, 95% CI 1.69–9.04), increased tibial slope (degrees) (OR 2.21, 95% CI 1.26–3.86), lower psychological readiness to return to sport (RTS) (OR 2.18, 95% CI 1.32–3.61), early surgery (< 12 vs ≥ 12 months) (OR 1.87, 95% CI 1.58–2.22), RTS (pre-injury level) (OR 1.87, 95% CI 1.21–2.91) and family history of ACL injury (OR 1.76, 95% CI 1.34–2.31) were all associated with increased odds of graft rupture. Higher age (OR 0.47, 95% CI 0.39–0.59), female sex (OR 0.88, 95% CI 0.79–0.98), fewer self-reported knee symptoms pre-reconstruction (OR 0.81, 95% CI 0.69–0.95) and concomitant cartilage injuries (OR 0.70, 95% CI 0.62–0.79) instead decreased the odds. Meta-analysis revealed no association between body mass index, smoking, joint laxity, RTS time, knee kinematics, muscle strength or hop performance and graft rupture.

Conclusion: Conspicuous risk factors for graft rupture were mainly sports and hereditary related. Few studies investigated function-related modifiable factors or included sports exposure data.

We compared knee landing mechanics with presumed relation to risk of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury among three single-leg hop tests and between legs in individuals with unilateral ACL reconstruction. Thirty-four participants (>10 months' post-surgery, 23 females) performed the standardised rebound side hop (SRSH), maximal hop for distance (OLHD) and maximal vertical hop (OLVH). We calculated the following knee outcomes from motion capture and force plate data: finite helical axis inclination angles (approximates knee robustness), frontal and transversal plane angles at initial contact, peak angles of abduction and internal rotation during landing, and peak external moments of flexion, abduction and internal rotation during landing. Repeated-measures MANOVA analysis ('sex' as covariate) confirmed that SRSH induced greater angles and moments, particularly in the frontal plane, compared to OLHD and OLVH. There was between-leg asymmetry for peak knee flexion moment for males during OLHD and OLVH, and for females during SRSH. Our results advocate the SRSH over OLHD and OLVH for assessment of knee landing control to screen for movement patterns potentially related to ACL injury risk. However, clear differences in both knee kinematics and kinetics between OLHD and SRSH motivate the use of both tests to evaluate different aspects of landing control.

Background: Individuals describe both short and long term consequences after an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury. Functional impairments are well documented while psychological, social and contextual factors need to be further investigated. By the use of a qualitative method incorporating a biopsychosocial lens, we aimed to explore individuals' experiences of living and coping with an ACL rupture with a specific focus on experiences significant to overall life, activity in daily living and physical activity more than one year after injury.

Methods: Twelve participants were chosen strategically by a purposive sampling. Four men and eight women (19–41 years) with an ACL rupture 2–25 years ago, were included. Semi-structured interviews were used and analysed with qualitative content analysis.

Results: The results consisted of one overarching theme: 'A strenuous process towards regaining balance' which built on three categories 'Disrupted knee', 'Disrupted me' and 'Moving forward with new insights'. The overarching theme captures the participants' experiences of a strenuous process towards regaining both physical and mental balance in the aftermath of an ACL injury. The results illuminate how participants were forced to cope with a physically 'disrupted knee', as well as facing mental challenges, identity challenges and a 'disrupted me'. By gradual acceptance and re-orientation they were moving forward with new insights – although still struggling with the consequences of the injury.

Conclusions: Individuals with an ACL injury experience both physical, psychological, and social challenges several years after injury. In addition to the functional impairments, diverse psychological, social and contextual 'disruptions' and struggles may also be present and influence the rehabilitation process. It is important that physiotherapists identify individuals who face such challenges and individually tailor the rehabilitation and support. A biopsychosocial approach is recommended in the clinical practice and future studies focusing on psychosocial processes in the context of ACL rehabilitation are warranted.

BACKGROUND: Threshold to detect passive motion (TTDPM) tests of the knee joint are commonly implemented among individuals with anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury to assess proprioceptive acuity. Their psychometric properties (PMPs), i.e. reliability, validity and responsiveness, are however unclear. This systematic review aimed to establish the PMPs of existing knee joint TTDPM tests among individuals with ACL injury.

METHODS: The databases PubMed, AMED, CINAHL, SPORTDiscus, Web of Science, Scopus, CENTRAL and ProQuest were searched to identify studies that assessed the properties of knee joint TTDPM tests in individuals with ACL injury. The risk of bias for each included study was assessed at the outcome level for each test. Overall quality and levels of evidence for each property were rated according to established criteria. Meta-analyses with mean differences were conducted using random-effects models when adequate data were available.

RESULTS: Fifty-one studies covering 108 TTDPM tests and 1632 individuals with unilateral ACL injury were included. A moderate-to-strong level of evidence indicated insufficient quality for all of the following: convergent validity, known-groups validity, discriminative validity, responsiveness between subgroups, and responsiveness to intervention. Subgroup meta-analyses for known-groups validity did however find that a starting angle of 15° resulted in significantly worse TTDPM for knees with ACL injury compared to those of asymptomatic persons (mean difference 0.28°; 95% CI 0.03 to 0.53; P = 0.03), albeit based on only three studies. Due to the lack of evidence, it was not possible to estimate the quality of reliability, measurement error, and criterion validity, nor responsiveness from a criterion and construct approach.

CONCLUSIONS: Among persons with ACL injury, existing tests of knee joint TTDPM lack either sufficient quality or evidence for their reliability, validity and responsiveness. Significantly worse thresholds for ACL-injured knees compared to those of asymptomatic controls from a 15° starting angle and trends towards significance for some validity measures nevertheless encourage the development of standardised tests. Further research investigating the influence of modifiable test components (e.g. starting angle and motion direction) on the PMPs of knee joint TTDPM tests following ACL injury is warranted.

Foot drop (FD) can be caused by a variety of diseases and injuries. FD leads to walking difficulties and reduced balance which also can lead to a higher risk of falling. Patient with a stroke often have an equinovarus deformity of the foot together with the DF. There is a need to optimize and standardize the treatment for patients with FD across different medical specialities. Surgical interventions, with goals of producing a balanced functional foot, have been shown to improve the function and quality of life and decrease the use of braces and walking aids in patients with FD after a CVI. In Sweden data regarding FD surgery is collected in the National Quality Registry for Foot and Ankle Surgery (Riksfot), but there is also an ongoing multicentre study, investigating the patient-reported and functional results of surgery due to FD caused by a CVI.