Considerable variability exists in the demands of straight-line running and multi-directional demands across sports, competition levels, and sexes, indicating the need for sports medicine clinicians to design future rehabilitation programs with improved specificity (including the type of activity and dosage) to these demands.

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Background Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury prevention programmes have shown mixed results, which may be due to differing emphasis on training components. The purpose of this study was to (1) quantify the overall and relative duration of each training component encompassed within these programmes and (2) examine the effect of these durations on ACL injury rates. Methods A systematic review was completed and meta-analyses performed on eligible studies to produce a pooled OR estimate of the effectiveness of these programmes. Meta-regression was used to detect any relationship that programme duration and the duration of individual training components had on ACL injury rates.Results 13 studies were included for review. Results of the meta-analyses revealed a significant reduction of injuries after preventative training programmes for all ACL injuries ( pooled OR estimate of 0.612, 95% CI 0.44 to 0.85; p=0.004) and for non-contact ACL injuries (OR 0.351, 95% CI 0.23 to 0.54; p<0.001). Results of meta-regression analysis revealed that a greater duration of balance training was associated with a higher injury risk for ACL injury ( p=0.04), while greater durations of static stretching was associated with a lower injury risk for non-contact ACL injuries ( p=0.04). Conclusions While ACL prevention programmes are successful in reducing the risk of ACL injury, the ideal combination and emphasis of training components within these programmes remains unclear. Evidence indicates that greater emphases on balance training and static stretching may be associated with an increase and decrease in injury risk, respectively.

Twenty-nine meniscal repairs in 26 patients 17 years of age or younger were performed using arthroscopic techniques. Clinical follow-up examinations were performed and the SF-36 Health Status Survey and International Knee Documentation Committee evaluation form were administered. A Lysholm score was determined for each patient. All 26 patients were seen for follow-up at an average of 5.0 years (range, 2.0 to 13.5). All patients had a full range of motion with no effusion, joint line tenderness, or McMurray sign present at the time of examination. No patient experienced symptoms of locking. No patient underwent repeat surgery for a nonhealed meniscal repair. The clinical healing rate in this group was 100%. The SF-36 data demonstrated an average physical functioning score of 91 and an average role physical score of 91. The average Lysholm score was 90. Twenty-two patients (85%) were performing level I activities based on the International Knee Documentation Committee rating. Excellent rates of healing, even higher than those obtained in the adult population, can be obtained with meniscal repairs performed in this young age group.