Stretching is a common component of an athletic warm-up even though many studies have demonstrated that pre-event static stretching can decrease strength and power performance. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of acute static stretching of the throwing shoulder on pitching velocity and accuracy of National Collegiate Athletic Association Division III baseball players. Twelve collegiate baseball players, including 6 pitchers and 6 position players, participated in the study. Each participant completed 2 separate testing protocols over a span of 4-6 days. In the experimental condition (SS), 6 static stretches were applied to the throwing shoulder after an active warm-up. After a rest period of 5-10 minutes, participants were allowed 5 warm-up pitches from a pitching mound. Participants then threw 10 pitches measured for velocity and accuracy. The control condition (NS) followed the same procedure but did not include the 6 static stretches. Testing was conducted in an indoor practice facility during normal team practice. No significant differences were found in average velocity, maximum velocity, or accuracy measures when comparing the SS and NS conditions. These results suggest that acute static stretching of the throwing shoulder does not have a significant impact on baseball pitching performance. Static stretching of the shoulder may be performed during a warm-up before a throwing activity.

Context: Athletic training educators are faced with the tasks of assessing learning styles, preparing and delivering content, and assessing student learning. Within content delivery, some educators may subscribe to certain learning theories and teaching strategies. One teaching strategy that holds potential for athletic training education is problem-based learning, which is grounded in cognitive theory and aligns with the way in which athletic training students learn by constructing knowledge based on previous experiences. Objective: To describe problem-based learning, the theoretical basis for using problem-based learning in athletic training education, and provide examples of incorporating problem-based learning activities into an evaluation course. Background: Problem-based learning was first introduced at McMaster University in an attempt to better transition between what medical students were learning in the classroom and what they were experiencing in their clinical settings. Problem-based learning has been studied and found to be effective in health care education and can be considered by athletic training educators. Description: Problem-based learning is a philosophy as well as a teaching strategy that uses problem solving to learn both content and clinical skills. Students work independently and in small groups to acquire knowledge through problem solving. Problem-based learning challenges the idea that students need a reservoir of knowledge before being able to solve a complex problem. Clinical Advantage(s): Based on theory and research in health care education, problem-based learning can be used in athletic training education to improve students' abilities to construct knowledge, to be active learners, to collaborate, and to give them the skills to be lifelong learners. Conclusion(s): Athletic training educators can consider implementing problem-based learning into their curriculums to integrate the learning of content and clinical skills.

Non-ice treatments (control, C, E, and CE; means 33.4, 34.5, 33.7, and 34.6, respectively) had warmer intramuscular temperatures than any treatment that included ice (I, IC, IE, and ICE; means 28.4, 19.8, 28.0, and 19.3, respectively). There were no differences between IC and ICE (means 19.8 and 19.3, respectively). Ice alone was different from everything (Control, C, E, IC, CE, and ICE) except IE Conclusions: Elevation does not appear to play a role in temperature changes during cryotherapy treatments.

Background: Cold water immersion is a widely used form of cryotherapy in the active population despite the limited knowledge on its physiological effects. From an injury standpoint, reducing metabolic rate is advantageous to prevent secondary injury. In contrast, increased metabolism can be beneficial in ridding the body of unwanted metabolites. This study looked to determine the effect of cold water immersion on metabolic rate.  Understanding this phenomenon will help determine appropriate clinical applications of cold water immersion and lead to a better understanding of cryotherapy in general. This study looked to determine the effect of cryotherapy in the form of waist deep cold water immersion at 9° C on metabolic rate. Methods: 10 participants from a university student population volunteered and completed a 15-minute treatment of waist deep cold water (9° C) immersion. Metabolic rate measurements were taken using a Jaeger Oxycon Mobile Unit for 5 minutes prior to treatment, 15 minutes of treatment, and 5 minutes post treatment for a total of 25 minutes. Statistical analysis was completed using a one way repeated measures ANOVA test to compare treatment intervals to baseline intervals. Results: Cold water immersion resulted in elevated metabolic rates for 8 of 10 participants during the first 5 minutes of treatment and for 6 of 10 in the 5 minute post treatment (p < 0.05). A second statistical analysis excluding the first 30 second data point in the 5-10 and 20-25 minute treatments was used to account for movement in and out of the whirlpool. The second analysis showed the same results as the first with the exception of one participant who no longer displayed a statistically significant change in the 20-25 minute interval. Conclusion: These results indicate that cold water immersion should not be used as a measure of reducing secondary injury because of its potential to increase metabolic rate, but instead may have potential benefits in exercise recovery.

Under conditions of this study, adhesively luted lithium disilicate bicuspid crowns with a total occlusal convergence of 10° demonstrated similar failure resistance independent of axial wall height of 1 to 3 mm. This study provides some evidence that adhesion combined with an ideal total occlusal convergence may compensate for reduced axial wall height.