Evaluation of Shoulder-Stabilizing Braces: Can We Prevent Shoulder Labrum Injury in Collegiate Offensive Linemen?

A systematic review of the evidence for effectiveness of interventions to address transport and other unintentional injuries among adolescents

INTRODUCTION

Globally, injuries are a leading cause of mortality and morbidity for adolescents, which disproportionately affect the disadvantaged. To build an investment case for adolescent injury prevention, evidence is needed as to effective interventions.

METHODS

A systematic review of peer-reviewed original research published between 2010-2022 was conducted. CINAHL, Cochrane Central, Embase, Medline and PsycINFO databases were searched for studies reporting the effectiveness of unintentional injury prevention interventions for adolescents (10-24 years), with assessment of study quality and equity (e.g., age, gender, ethnicity, socio-economic status).

RESULTS

Sixty-two studies were included; 59 (95.2%) from high-income countries (HIC). Thirty-eight studies (61.3%) reported no aspect of equity. Thirty-six studies (58.1%) reported prevention of sports injuries (commonly neuromuscular training often focused on soccer-related injuries, rule changes and protective equipment). Twenty-one studies (33.9%) reported prevention of road traffic injury, with legislative approaches, commonly graduated driver licensing schemes, found to be effective in reducing fatal and nonfatal road traffic injury. Seven studies reported interventions for other unintentional injuries (e.g., falls).

DISCUSSION

Interventions were strongly biased towards HIC, which does not reflect the global distribution of adolescent injury burden. Low consideration of equity in included studies indicates current evidence largely excludes adolescent populations at increased risk of injury. A large proportion of studies evaluated interventions to prevent sports injury, a prevalent yet low severity injury mechanism. Findings highlight the importance of education and enforcement alongside legislative approaches for preventing adolescent transport injuries. Despite drowning being a leading cause of injury-related harm among adolescents, no interventions were identified.

CONCLUSION

This review provides evidence to support investment in effective adolescent injury prevention interventions. Further evidence of effectiveness is needed, especially for low- and middle-income countries, populations at increased risk of injury who would benefit from greater consideration of equity and for high lethality injury mechanisms like drowning.

Protective Sport Bracing for Athletes With Mid-Season Shoulder Instability

CONTEXT

In-season glenohumeral instability is a common clinical dilemma faced by physicians who care for athletes. Both nonoperative and operative management of athletes with in-season glenohumeral instability have been well described. Functional bracing remains less understood as a treatment modality. This review aims to provide an update on the most recent literature regarding the use of functional bracing for shoulder instability.

EVIDENCE ACQUISITION

MEDLINE (PubMed and Ovid platforms), Web of Science, Embase, and Cochrane Database of Systemic Reviews were searched for articles available in English through June 1, 2021. The search terms shoulder brace, shoulder instability, athlete, in-season, glenohumeral instability, anterior shoulder instability, posterior shoulder instability, and bracing were used.

STUDY DESIGN

Clinical review.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level 3.

RESULTS

Research on the clinical outcomes of functional bracing remains mixed for patients with shoulder instability. Two studies have demonstrated improved return to play with functional bracing, while 1 study demonstrated no difference in return to play between braced athletes and nonbraced athletes with anterior instability. One previous study demonstrated that prophylactic use of bilateral shoulder stabilizing braces significantly decreased time lost due to injury in athletes with posterior instability. Previous biomechanical studies have demonstrated improved proprioception with brace wear as well as successful limitation of active shoulder range of motion.

CONCLUSION

Bracing in athletes with shoulder instability remains an important nonoperative treatment modality. While clinical benefits are yet to be validated through high-quality studies, preliminary results suggest a potential benefit to recovery, with minimal downsides. Nevertheless, the use of bracing remains an individual choice but is especially recommended in settings of high-risk sports for shoulder instability, such as football.

Analysis of Football Injuries by Position Group in Division I College Football: A 5-Year Program Review

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to evaluate injury characteristics by position groups.

DESIGN

Prospective, observational study.

SETTING

A single, major Division I collegiate football program.

PARTICIPANTS

All players on a collegiate football program each fall regular season.

INDEPENDENT VARIABLES

Exposure to Division I collegiate football and position groups.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Injury rates (IRs) per 1000 athlete exposures (AEs) and injury rate ratios (IRRs) were calculated and analyzed for all monitored injury variables, which included time in the season, body part, type of injury, game and practice injuries, mechanism of injury, and type of exposure.

RESULTS

During the 2012 to 2016 fall regular seasons, there were 200 reported injuries sustained from 48 615 AE. The overall 5-year IR was 4.11 per 1000 AEs (3.57-4.72 95% confidence intervals). Skill players sustained the highest IR in the preseason (IR, 7.56) compared with line (IR, 4.26) and other (IR, 4.10) position groups. In addition, skill players demonstrated a significantly higher IRR compared with the line (IRR, 1.75, P < 0.05) and other (IRR, 1.85, P < 0.05) position groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Skill players sustained most of their injuries in the preseason, whereas the linemen and other position groups suffered most of their injuries in the first half of the regular season. Skill players demonstrated a significantly higher IR in preseason, noncontact mechanism injuries, and injuries to the upper leg and thigh compared with line and other position groups. Efforts to reduce soft-tissue muscle strains in skill players targeting the preseason may provide one of the best opportunities to significantly decrease current football IRs, whereas efforts to reduce contact exposures may have the greatest effect on concussions and contact mechanism injuries for the other position group. There were no significant differences in IRs between position groups and type of exposure.