I sin debattartikel i Läkartidningen (7 jan 2025) argumenterar Anna Melin och Lykke Tamm för att relativ energibrist inom idrott (REDs) är ett allvarligt och vanligt problem som bör tas på allvar.

Vi instämmer i att nutrition är en av flera grundläggande förutsättningar för idrottslig utveckling, prestation samt fysisk och psykisk hälsa. Det är självklart att träningsbelastning och energiintag måste anpassas och balanseras på alla nivåer av idrottsutövande. Däremot ifrågasätter vi författarnas framställande av REDs som ett väletablerat »syndrom«, särskilt i Läkartidningen, som riktar sig till den svenska hälso- och sjukvården.

Background Figure skaters typically jump in only one direction, landing on the same leg. Current prevention programs in figure skating lack knowledge about the importance of jumping direction in injury etiology.Objective To describe lateralisation (handedness, footedness, jumping direction) in female competitive figure skaters and its association with injury risk.Design One-year retrospective cohort study.Setting All licensed competitive figure skaters (n=400) in the southeastern region of Sweden.Participants 137 female figure skaters (mean age 12.9 (SD 3.0) years). Assessment of Risk Factors Lateralisation data and significant sports injury episodes for one year were reported by skaters. Associations were analyzed between handedness and jump-landing leg and between lateralization (right-sided/left-sided/mixed) and injury-sidedness (right/left/bilateral).Main Outcome Measurements Significant sports injury episode with time loss from sports >21 days. Results Most skaters reported right-side handedness (93%), footedness (87%) and landing leg (85%). The jumping direction (landing leg) was associated with handedness/footedness (p=0.035). Forty-two skaters (31%) had suffered a significant sports injury episode. Fifty-nine injuries (64% overuse/36% traumatic) were reported; 48 (83%) were located to the lower extremities; 35% of the lower extremity injuries involved only the landing leg. No association between left-sidedness and overuse injury episode (p=0.463) or traumatic injury (p=0.760) incidence during the study period was observed. Neither was any association found between lateralisation and distribution of injury to sides (p=0.328).Abstract 863 Figure 1 DAGitty on theoretically potential pathways between lateralisation, asymmetrical loading and injury aetiology. In figure skating, you specialise very early in jumping/spining in only one direction(thus all jumps on the sme leg). Accumulated load (skating level, years as a figure skater, training hours) may contribute to a component of exhaustion and more asymmertical loading enhancing lateralisation. The degree of laterlisation may affect balance, coordination and injury location. Athletes prone to left-wise dexterity skate with their “creative” brain and may be more prone to injury when exhaused, as well as having worse mental health in terms of body image, anxiety and depressin indicators. Blue node = outcome and ancestors of the outcome.Green node = exposure. Light grey node = unobserved (latent). Green arrow = casual path.View this table:Abstract 863 Table 1 Localization of injuries sustained in the last 12 months (n=59) with regard to lateralization injuries categorized into overuse and traumatic injuries, respectively.Conclusions Right-side handedness, footedness, and jump landing leg dominated in female competitive figure skaters. No association was found between the side that injury was sustained and the skater’s jumping direction. The relatively small size of the study implies that the risk of type 1 error must be considered. The results can be used to inform injury prevention programs for figure skaters. More research is needed on the contribution of laterality and asymmetric loading.

Background Although figure skating attracts several hundred thousand participants worldwide, there is little knowledge about physical health and sports injuries among young skaters.Objective To describe the health status of a geographically-defined Swedish population of licensed competitive figure skaters and to examine injury determinants.Design Cross-sectional.Setting All licensed competitive skaters in the south-eastern region of Sweden.Participants In total, 142 (36%) of 400 skaters participated, 137 (96%) of whom were girls (mean (SD) age: 12.9 (SD 3.0) years). Participating boys (n=5) were excluded from further analysis.Assessment of Risk Factors Age, skating level, eating habits, relative energy deficiency indicators, and training habits were assessed.Main Outcome Measurements The primary outcome measure was the one-year prevalence of a severe sports injury episode (time loss>21 days). The secondary outcome measure was the point prevalence of an ongoing sports injury.Results The one-year prevalence of a severe sports injury episode was 31%, which in the multiple model, was associated with older age (odds ratio (OR) 1.2, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.1–1.4; p=0.002) and an increased number of skipped meals per week (OR 1.1, 95% CI 1.0–1.3; p=0.014). The point prevalence of an ongoing injury episode was 19%, which was associated with older age (OR 1.4, 95% CI 1.2–1.7; p<0.001) and an increased number of skipped meals per week (OR 1.1, 95% CI 1.0–1.3; p=0.049).Conclusions One-third of young female Swedish competitive figure skaters had sustained a severe injury episode during the past year, and a fifth reported an ongoing episode. Older age and an increased number of skipped meals per week were associated with a sports injury episode. Further prospective studies of injury determinants among competitive figure skaters are warranted before the findings are broadly applied in intervention programs.

Background Athletes competing in athletics (track and field) at international level may be participating with underlying undiagnosed life-threatening cardiovascular conditions. Our objective was to analyse variations in pre-participation cardiac evaluation prevalence among athletes participating in two International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) World Athletics Championships, with regard to the human developmental level and global region of their home countries, as well as athletes’ age category, gender, event group and medical insurance type.

Design Cross-sectional web-based survey.MethodsA total of 1785 athletes competing in the IAAF World Under 18 Championships Nairobi 2017 and World Championships London 2017 were invited to complete a pre-participation health questionnaire investigating the experience of a pre-participation cardiac examination.

Results A total of 704 (39%) of the athletes participated. Among these, 59% (60% of women; 58% of men) reported that they had been provided at least one type of pre-participation cardiac evaluation. Athletes from very high income countries, Europe and Asia, showed a higher prevalence of at least one pre-participation cardiac evaluation.

Conclusions The prevalence of pre-participation cardiac evaluation in low to middle income countries, and the African continent in particular, needs urgent attention. Furthermore, increases in evaluation prevalence should be accompanied by the development of cost-effective methods that can be adopted in all global regions.

Background:

Many patients with anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction who return to sport suffer new ACL injuries or quit sports soon after returning.

Purpose:

To prospectively follow a cohort of female soccer players with primary unilateral ACL reconstruction and matched knee-healthy controls from the same soccer teams to compare (1) the rate of new traumatic and nontraumatic knee injuries and other injuries, (2) the proportion of players who quit soccer, and (3) player-reported activity level and satisfaction with activity level and knee function.

Study Design:

Cohort study; Level of evidence, 2.

Methods:

A total of 117 active female soccer players (mean ± SD age, 19.9 ± 2.5 years) 18.9 ± 8.7 months after ACL reconstruction and 119 knee-healthy female soccer players (19.5 ± 2.5 years) matched from the same teams were prospectively followed for 2 years for new knee injuries, other injuries, soccer playing level, activity level according to the Tegner Activity Scale, and satisfaction with activity level and knee function.

Results:

Players with ACL reconstruction had a higher rate of new ACL injuries (n = 29 vs 8; 19 vs 4 per 100 player years; rate ratio [RR], 4.82; 95% CI, 2.20-10.54; P < .001), other traumatic knee injuries (29 vs 16 per 100 player years; RR, 1.84; 95% CI, 1.16-2.93; P < .01), and nontraumatic knee injuries (33 vs 9 per 100 player years; RR, 3.62; 95% CI, 2.11-6.21; P < .001) as compared with controls. There was no difference in the rate of other (not knee) injuries (43 vs 48 per 100 player years; RR, 0.90; 95% CI, 0.65-1.23; P = .494). During the 2-year follow-up, 72 (62%) players with ACL reconstruction quit soccer, as opposed to 43 (36%) controls (P = .001). The median Tegner Activity Scale score decreased in both groups (P < .001) but more for the ACL-reconstructed group (P < .015).

Conclusion:

Female soccer players with ACL reconstruction had nearly a 5-fold-higher rate of new ACL injuries and a 2- to 4-fold-higher rate of other new knee injuries, quit soccer to a higher degree, and reduced their activity level to a greater extent as compared with knee-healthy controls.

Introduction Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury can result in joint instability, decreased functional performance, reduced physical activity and quality of life and an increased risk for post-traumatic osteoarthritis. Despite the development of new treatment techniques and extensive research, the complex and multifaceted nature of ACL injury and its consequences are yet to be fully understood. The overall aim of the NACOX study is to evaluate the natural corollaries and recovery after an ACL injury. Methods and analysis The NACOX study is a multicentre prospective prognostic cohort study of patients with acute ACL injury. At seven sites in Sweden, we will include patients aged 15-40 years, within 6 weeks after primary ACL injury. Patients will complete questionnaires at multiple occasions over the 3 years following injury or the 3 years following ACL reconstruction (for participants who have surgical treatment). In addition, a subgroup of 130 patients will be followed with clinical examinations, several imaging modalities and biological samples. Data analyses will he specific to each aim. Ethics and dissemination This study has been approved by the regional Ethical committee in Linkoping, Sweden (Dnr 2016/44-31 and 2017/221-32). We plan to present the results at national and international conferences and in peer-reviewed scientific journals. Participants will receive a short summary of the results following completion of the study.

Objective: There is no evidence that a knee arthroscopy is more beneficial to middle-aged patients with meniscal symptoms compared to other treatments. This randomised controlled trial aimed to determine whether an arthroscopic intervention combined with a structured exercise programme would provide more benefit than a structured exercise programme alone for middle-aged patients with meniscal symptoms that have undergone physiotherapy. Method: 150 out of 179 eligible patients, aged 45 to 64 (mean: 54 +/- 5), symptom duration more than 3 months and standing X-ray with Ahlback grade 0, were randomised to: (1) a physiotherapy appointment within 2 weeks of inclusion that included instructions for a 3-month exercise programme (non-surgery group); or (2) the same as (1) plus, within 4 weeks of inclusion, knee arthroscopy for resection of any significant meniscal injuries (surgery group). The primary outcome was change in pain at 12 months, assessed with the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOSPAIN). Results: In the Intention-To-Treat analysis, pain at 12 months was significantly lower in the surgery than in the non-surgery group. The change in KOOSPAIN was significantly larger in the surgery than in the non-surgery group (between-group difference was 10.6 points of change; 95% CI: 3.4 to 17.7, P = 0.004). The As-Treated analysis results were consistent with the Intention-To-Treat analysis results. Conclusion: Middle-aged patients with meniscal symptoms may benefit from arthroscopic surgery in addition to a structured exercise programme. Patients age or symptom history (i.e., mechanical symptoms or acute onset of symptoms) didnt affect the outcome.

Background This cross-sectional study aimed to examine whether appraisal of knee function, psychological and demographic factors were related to returning to the preinjury sport and recreational activity following anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. Method 164 participants completed a questionnaire battery at 1-7 years after primary ACL reconstruction. The battery included questionnaires evaluating knee self-efficacy, health locus of control, psychological readiness to return to sport and recreational activity, and fear of reinjury; and self-reported knee function in sport-specific tasks, knee-related quality of life and satisfaction with knee function. The primary outcome was returning to the preinjury sport or recreational activity. Results At follow-up, 40% (66/164) had returned to their preinjury activity. Those who returned had more positive psychological responses, reported better knee function in sport and recreational activities, perceived a higher knee-related quality of life and were more satisfied with their current knee function. The main reasons for not returning were not trusting the knee (28%), fear of a new injury (24%) and poor knee function (22%). Psychological readiness to return to sport and recreational activity, measured with the ACL-Return to Sport after Injury scale (was most strongly associated with returning to the preinjury activity). Age, sex and preinjury activity level were not related. Conclusions Less than 50% returned to their preinjury sport or recreational activity after ACL reconstruction. Psychological readiness to return to sport and recreation was the factor most strongly associated with returning to the preinjury activity. Including interventions aimed at improving this in postoperative rehabilitation programmes could be warranted to improve the rate of return to sport and recreational activities.

Psychological factors may be a hindrance for returning to sport after an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. The ACL-Return to Sport after Injury scale (ACL-RSI) measures athletes emotions, confidence in performance, and risk appraisal in relation to return to sport. The aim of this study was to translate the ACL-RSI scale from English to Swedish and to examine some of the measurement properties of the Swedish version. The ACL-RSI was translated and culturally adapted. A professional expert group and five patients evaluated face validity. One hundred and eighty-two patients completed the translated ACL-RSI, a project-specific questionnaire, the Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia (TSK), the Knee-Self-Efficacy Scale (K-SES), the Multidimensional Health Locus of Control (MHLC-C), the Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS), and the Anterior Cruciate Ligament-Quality of Life (ACL-QoL) questionnaires. Fifty-three patients answered the ACL-RSI twice to examine reproducibility. The ACL-RSI showed good face validity, internal consistency (Cronbachs alpha=0.948), low floor and ceiling effects and high construct validity when evaluated against the TSK, K-SES, MHLC-C, KOOS, and ACL-QoL scales. The reproducibility was also high (intra-class correlation=0.893). Therefore, the ACL-RSI can be used to evaluate psychological factors relevant to returning to sport after ACL reconstruction surgery.