Single-leg landing is a dynamic whole-body movement in which foot placement must be adjusted online to maintain postural stability. However, it remains unclear whether the position of the body center of mass (CoM) or the extrapolated center of mass (XcoM), which accounts for CoM velocity, is more informative for predicting foot placement choice. This study aimed to determine whether the positions of the body CoM and XcoM at the time when possible landing targets were presented could predict subsequent foot placement choice during single-leg landing and which provided better predictive accuracy. Twenty-four healthy participants performed a novel target-choice single-leg landing task from a 20-cm-high box. After movement initiation, two target lines (left and right) spaced 10 cm apart appeared on the landing platform. Participants were instructed to choose and land on one of the targets. A total of 99 trials were conducted, including 54 choice trials. To investigate whether the body CoM and XcoM positions at target appearance predicted subsequent foot placement choice, a binary logistic regression analysis was performed individually for each participant. The model fit was evaluated using log-likelihood, which was averaged across participants and compared using a paired t-test. Both the body CoM and XcoM models predicted the left/right foot placement choice. The body XcoM model showed a significantly larger log-likelihood value than the body CoM model. These results suggest that the body CoM position and its velocity influence the foot placement choice during whole-body dynamic landing.
Injury surveillance data suggests that injuries to the lower limbs in ballet are common, with the complexity of ballet-specific tasks associated with an increased risk. The current study examined bilateral 3D kinematic and kinetic responses to a battery of ballet-specific jump-landing manoeuvres (Jeté, Jeté Step, Échappé, Sissonne, Sissonne Pas de Bourres, Temps Levé, Jeté en Tournant). Fourteen university-level female ballet dancers (age: 19.29 ± 1.59 years; height: 1.65 ± 0.05 m; body mass: 61.00 ± 8.29 kg) volunteered to participate, and each completed all movements of the testing protocol on their dominant and non-dominant limb. 3D motion capture technology integrating synchronous force platform analysis was used to quantify 3D ankle joint kinematics and kinetics (peak vertical force, time to peak vertical force, mean loading rate). Repeated measures ANOVA were conducted to investigate main effects for bilateral symmetry and task specificity. Kinetic analyses revealed that peak vertical ground reaction forces were greater in the dominant limb compared with the non-dominant limb, irrespective of task (P < .05). However, the dominance effect was not evident in the remaining kinetic measures, or in the kinematic parameters (P > .05). A significant main effect (P < .05) for task was identified for both kinematic and kinetic measures, reflecting the spectrum of mechanical demand across the seven ballet-specific tasks. Peak vertical ground reaction forces are greater in the dominant limb in university-level female ballet dancers, but bilateral asymmetry was not reflected in ankle joint kinematics. Task variation influenced the biomechanical response to ballet jump-landings, and future studies should manipulate and integrate task complexity in methodological designs. The findings have implications for other populations where jump-landing manoeuvres and injuries are common.
Extreme alpine summer sports are increasingly popular and expose participants to high-energy trauma in remote mountain environments. This pictorial essay reviews the emergency radiology of severe acute injuries associated with down-hill mountain biking, rock climbing, paragliding, BASE jumping, canyoning, and rafting, with emphasis on mechanism-based imaging interpretation. Injury patterns differ across disciplines but are largely determined by velocity, fall height, landing posture, impact surface, axial loading, torsional forces, and water-related hazards. Down-hill mountain biking commonly produces extremity, thoracic, craniofacial, abdominal, and spinal injuries after high-speed crashes or handlebar impact. Rock climbing and paragliding frequently involve falls from height and hard landings, leading to thoracolumbar fractures, pelvic trauma, calcaneal or ankle injuries, and, in severe cases, neurologic compromise or visceral injury. BASE jumping is associated with high-velocity landing trauma, particularly involving the lower limbs, pelvis, and spine. Canyoning and rafting combine blunt trauma with environmental risks such as submersion, aspiration, hypothermia, and drowning-related complications. In high-energy trauma or polytrauma, whole-body computed tomography is the cornerstone of emergency assessment, enabling rapid evaluation of head, spine, chest, abdomen, and pelvis. Radiography remains useful for isolated appendicular injuries, whereas magnetic resonance imaging is essential for spinal cord, ligamentous, marrow, and selected soft-tissue injuries. Awareness of sport-specific mechanisms helps radiologists optimize image selection, maintain an appropriate search pattern, recognize injuries that may coexist after axial loading, and communicate urgent findings promptly. A mechanism-oriented approach may improve diagnostic accuracy, guide multidisciplinary management, and reduce missed injuries in patients presenting after alpine summer extreme sports trauma.
Turnout, or external rotation of the lower limbs, is a fundamental skill in classical ballet. While the hip is turnout's main contributor, the coordinated roles of the knee and ankle remain unclear under dynamic and aerial tasks, such as jumps. Previous studies have focused on static or bipodal tasks, overlooking unipodal landings in jumps. The aim was to analyze the kinematic contributions of the hip, knee, and ankle to turnout during three ballet jumps from fifth position: Assemblé Dessus (bipodal, with lateral aerial body displacement), Sissone Ouvert En Avant (unipodal, with anterior displacement), and Sissone Ouvert Devant (unipodal, with lateral displacement). In this observational cross-sectional study, we assessed 30 female pre-professional dancers (20.1 ± 2.6 years; 11.7 ± 4.1 years ballet experience) using a cluster-based wedge-shaped marker protocol to improve accuracy of hip and knee axial rotation measurements. We used a six-degree-of-freedom model to calculate peak rotations and their timing, which were compared across joints and jump phases (preparation, flight, and landing) using repeated measures ANOVA (P < .05). The hip consistently exhibited the greatest external rotation across all jumps and phases (P < .001). In both Sissones, hip rotation remained stable from flight to landing, whereas in Assemblé, hip and knee rotations decreased upon landing (P < .001). Ankle rotation increased during landing (P < .001) and was the lowest during flight. Timing of rotation peaks varied across joints: the hip peaked earlier, while the ankle reached its maximum in late flight and late landing. The hip is the primary contributor to turnout in all jumps, whereas the knee and ankle act complementarily, with the knee reducing its contribution and the ankle increasing it from flight to landing. Jump type and landing support influence rotational contributions, reinforcing the need for training that optimizes coordination and joint alignment.
In sports where the ball is played overhead, anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries are mostly sustained during landing with athletes looking elsewhere, often with their heads turned. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of a head-turned position on landing movement patterns and jump heights using the Landing Error Scoring System (LESS), as a means of altering sensory input to enhance sport specificity and relevance to ACL injury screening. Thirty-five healthy adults (22 males, 13 females) participated in this within-participants crossover trial, completing three double-leg jump landings assessed under two randomised conditions allocated sequentially: control and head-turned LESS. Overall LESS scores, proportion categorised at risk (≥ 5 errors), occurrence of specific landing errors, and jump heights were compared between conditions. LESS scores were higher in the head-turned condition than control (6.8 ± 1.5 versus 6.4 ± 1.4 errors, P = 0.027) and jump heights lower (32.7 ± 10.2 versus 34.8 ± 10.3 cm, P = 0.002), both with small effects (Cohen's d = 0.27 [0.03, 0.51]; 0.20 [0.07, 0.34]). Under the head-turned condition, participants more often landed with lateral trunk flexion (20% vs. 54%, P = 0.002) and wide stance (23% vs. 46%, P = 0.002). Odds of being classified at risk did not differ significantly (P = 0.625, OR = 3.00 [0.31, 28.80]). Performing the LESS with a head-turned position to alter sensory input reduced jump height and increased LESS errors, but did not meaningfully alter injury risk categorisation. Future research should determine whether a head-turned condition enhances the predictive validity of the LESS for ACL injuries and use in injury prevention and rehabilitation. Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ACTRN12625001299493), 21/11/2025. Retrospectively registered.
Adolescent volleyball players face elevated knee injury risk. Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries and patellar tendinopathy are the two dominant conditions. Approximately 62% of ACL injuries occur during spike landings. During peak height velocity (PHV), patellar tendon strain reaches 7.6%-8.5%, approaching the microstructural damage threshold of 9.0%. This review evaluated whether neuromuscular training (NMT) reduces biomechanical injury risk and improves athletic performance. Multimodal NMT reduced overall injury rates by 40% and halved ACL injury risk (OR=0.54). The protective effect was strongest in females aged 14-18 (OR=0.28) and absent above age 18. NMT also improved vertical jump height (Cohen's d = 0.82) and dynamic stability (SMD = 0.63). Female players showed greater jump gains than males (ES = 1.3 vs. 0.5). Injury prevention and performance benefits share the same mechanistic foundation. Optimal dosing is 15-20 min per session, two to three times per week, for at least eight weeks. Maturity-stratified load management is essential for circa-PHV athletes. Volleyball-specific, maturity-indexed RCTs are needed to confirm these findings.
During the menopausal transition, female individuals experience declines in bone health. Menopausal female individuals also lose lean mass due to aging; however, few exercise trials have included peri- and early post-menopausal participants. The main objective of this study was to explore changes in prespecified secondary muscle and bone outcomes of the Strength Training for Osteoporosis Prevention during Early Menopause (STOP-EM) feasibility trial. STOP-EM was a randomised waitlisted controlled feasibility trial completed in Calgary, Canada. Participants were randomised to either a 9-month, twice-weekly, supervised progressive heavy strength (80-85% one-repetition maximum (1RM)) and impact (drop landings) training program (n = 20) or the waitlisted controlled group (n = 20). Inclusion criteria included being between 45 and 60 years old and peri- or early post-menopausal. Outcome assessors were blinded to group allocation, while participants were not blinded. Outcomes included lean mass, muscle strength, leg power output, and areal bone mineral density (aBMD). At baseline, mean age was 52.9 (SD: 4.1), 47.5% were peri-menopausal, and 7.5% were on menopausal hormone therapy. All 20 intervention participants and 18 waitlisted controlled participants returned at follow-up. 1RM improved by 12.6% to 30.5% for chest press, shoulder press, deadlift, and back squat lifts. The intervention group experienced increases in total body lean mass (between-group difference for change (95% CI) = 0.90 kg (0.08 to 1.72)), absolute leg power output (97 W (2 to 193)), and lumbar spine aBMD (0.020 g/cm2 (0.001 to 0.034)) compared to the waitlisted controlled group. Nine months of heavy strength and impact training increased lean mass, muscle strength, leg power output, and lumbar spine aBMD. These promising results warrant a definitive trial to assess the program's efficacy.
This study provides the first comprehensive checklist of coral reef fishes from the Sugud Islands Marine Conservation Area (SIMCA), Sabah, Malaysia, a strictly no-take marine protected area (MPA) in the Sulu Sea. Based on underwater surveys and intercepted trawl landings conducted between 2006 and 2023, we recorded 622 species representing 73 families. The most species-rich families were Labridae (74 species), Pomacentridae (61), and Gobiidae (57), together with six other families that collectively comprised 55% of all records. The Coral Reef Fish Diversity Index (CFDI) estimated a potential richness of 647 species. Thirty-six species are listed on the IUCN Red List, including four Critically Endangered elasmobranchs, with Rhina ancylostoma (Bowmouth Guitarfish) representing the first record for SIMCA. Eight species are listed under CITES Appendix II, and three are regulated by Malaysian law. Long-term monitoring was essential for detecting cryptic, nocturnal, and wide-ranging taxa that would likely have been overlooked in short-term studies. These results demonstrate the value of sustained protection in maintaining high species diversity and provide a baseline for future biodiversity management and conservation planning in Malaysia's Coral Triangle waters.
The present study provides an updated checklist and distributional analysis of clupeiform fishes from Indian waters based on published literature, online databases, and fish landing records. Clupeiform fishes are predominantly pelagic, schooling, and filter-feeding forms widely distributed in marine, estuarine, and freshwater ecosystems, and constitute an important component of global pelagic fishery resources. In India, this group contributes substantially to marine fish landings and supports major coastal fisheries, with several species subjected to intensive exploitation due to their high commercial and nutritional value. The present compilation includes a total of 97 valid species of the order Clupeiformes belonging to 26 genera and seven families recorded from Indian waters, representing approximately 21.1% of the global species diversity and 31.3% of the known genera of the order, which currently comprises ten families worldwide. Among the recorded families, Engraulidae and Dorosomatidae are the most species-rich, whereas Chirocentridae and Spratelloididae contain fewest species. The Bay of Bengal exhibits the highest species richness, followed by the Arabian Sea, while the Andaman & Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep Islands are comparatively less diverse. Assessment based on the IUCN Red List indicates that 56 species are listed as Least Concern, 32 as Data Deficient, eight as Not Evaluated, and one species falls under vulnerable category. This compiled checklist serves as a foundational reference for future investigations into the taxonomy, biodiversity, and conservation of Indian clupeiform fishes.
Ejections from combat aircraft pose a significant risk of head injury, and the primary protective measure against such injuries is the aircrew helmet. Internationally, aircrew helmets are typically certified against motorcycle or motorcycle-derived helmet standards, which may not reflect the injury mechanisms experienced during aircraft ejections. The objective of this study was to identify the historical risk of head injury associated with combat aircraft ejections. All UK combat aircraft ejections from 1972 to 2025 were analysed to determine common brain pathologies, head injury mechanisms and helmet damage characteristics. In total, 268 aircraft ejections were recorded, with 12% resulting in a head injury. Two primary head injury mechanisms were identified: headbox impact (58%) and parachute landing (27%). The findings indicate that aircrew helmets provide protection against skull fracture as no cases were recorded following in-envelope ejections. This outcome is likely attributable to existing aircrew helmet standards, which assess helmet performance based on peak translational acceleration, a parameter closely linked to skull fracture. A key finding is that loss of consciousness associated with head rotation was the most prevalent pathology, comprising 76% of all head injuries. These results inform potential improvements in aircrew helmet standards. Even a brief incapacitation, such as a loss of consciousness, can impair aircrew escape and evasion capabilities, thereby affecting survivability. Consequently, this study recommends that future aircrew helmet standards expand their test methods to include assessments of rotational injury, with the aim of mitigating the risk of loss of consciousness.
The functional impact of hallux valgus (HV) on dynamic postural stability in adolescent athletes remains unclear. We investigated whether hallux alignment and intrinsic foot muscle morphology are associated with dynamic postural stability during a jump-landing task. This study included 185 adolescent athletes (mean age, 13.6 years). Participants with perceived ankle instability (Cumberland Ankle Instability Tool score ≤ 25 in either ankle) were excluded. Weight-bearing radiographs were used to measure the HV angle (HVA), hallux interphalangeal angle (HIA), and skeletal maturity. Ultrasonography was used to quantify the cross-sectional area (CSA) of intrinsic foot muscles, including the flexor hallucis brevis (FHB). The Dynamic Postural Stability Index (DPSI) was assessed during a single-leg jump-landing task. Associations were examined using linear mixed-effects models, accounting for within-participant correlation across limbs. HV and interphalangeal HV were present in approximately 33% and 86% of feet, respectively. In the multivariable model, greater combined hallux deformity (HVA + HIA) and open physes were independently associated with higher DPSI values, indicating poorer stability. Conversely, larger FHB CSA and higher body mass index (BMI) were associated with lower DPSI values, indicating better stability (all p < 0.05). Neither limb side nor the interaction between limb side and hallux alignment was significant. These findings suggest that hallux alignment, FHB morphology, and skeletal maturity are associated with jump-landing stability in adolescent athletes, without evidence of limb-dependent effects. Static hallux alignment and intrinsic foot muscle morphology provide clinically relevant information for evaluating dynamic stability in this population.
Trap-collected mosquito surveillance data are widely used for modelling transmission of mosquito-borne animal diseases. Several input parameters are estimated from such data such as vector-to-host ratios, between-host attraction and biting rates. This assumes that traps are adequate surrogate hosts and the numbers and species of mosquitoes they attract are representative of those attracted by animal hosts. We evaluated the qualitative and quantitative differences in mosquito collections obtained by aspiration from cows and sheep and simultaneously by capture via Mosquito-Magnet (MM) traps set on a dairy farm. Several different mosquito species that landed and at times fed on livestock hosts were not captured simultaneously by the MM trap. Furthermore, orders of magnitude more mosquitoes were captured by aspiration on the livestock hosts compared to the MM trap. The proportion of blood-fed mosquitoes found in the MM trap was almost negligible (1.7%), while 41% and 14% of mosquitoes collected from the cow and sheep were blood-fed, respectively. This reveals the flaw of using mosquito surveillance data - primarily collected to gain insight into presence or absence of mosquito species and geographical distribution - for mosquito-borne animal disease transmission modelling.
As animals move through the world, images of surfaces and edges in the environment move across the retina, a visual signal known as optic flow.1 Optic flow is beneficial for several processes, perhaps most notably navigation,2 but it poses a conundrum. When faced with optic flow, the optomotor body, head, and eye movements reflexively minimize optic flow to maintain a stable retinal image.3 This retinal image stabilization is essential for normal visual function.4,5 How then can an animal move through the world yet maintain a stable retinal image? Birds are known for their remarkable head stability and also exhibit a variety of eye movements, including rapid and stabilizing vestibular and optokinetic eye movements.6,7 However, it remains unknown if they move their eyes during flight.8,9 We developed an onboard camera system to separately track eye movements and record optic flow from homing pigeons (Columba livia domestica; hereafter pigeons) released several kilometers from their home loft. During flight, the eyes of pigeons exhibit slow, temporal eye movements consistent with a divergent optokinetic response. These eye movements matched optic flow along the horizon generated by forward flight. Head-restrained pigeons exhibited binocular divergent eye movements in response to computer-generated visual stimuli simulating self-translation. These results are consistent with pigeons stabilizing the horizon in the lateral visual fields during flight. By contrast, during landing, pigeons exhibited large, convergent binocular eye movements directed toward the perch, allowing for stereopsis. In summary, both optokinetic and convergent eye movements appear important for avian flight control.
The motor protein kinesin moves over the microtubule (MT) by undergoing a motility cycle involving MT-bound and unbound states. Compared to the structurally well-defined MT-bound state, very little is known about the behaviors of kinesin in the unbound state at the atomistic-level. In order to maintain motility, the unbound head hovers near the MT, where the near-range interaction remains undefined. To this end, we perform a total of over 82-μs all-atom molecular dynamics simulations of a Kinesin-1 motor head detaching and hovering over the MT lattice by using the Anton-2 supercomputer. Resistance to unbinding depended strongly on the loading direction due to the uneven response of the MT-binding elements to pulling. Such directional anisotropy is consistent with easier unbinding of the rear head and resistance to load by the front head in a kinesin dimer. The interaction between a hovering head with the MT surface was evaluated across a 102-point grid with sufficient size and overlap to cover the periodic MT lattice. Interaction with the MT C-terminal tails (CTTs) vs. MT surface was strongly location-dependent, which results in regions of weak repulsion, relatively free diffusion, and a landing zone formed directly behind the next binding site where attraction to the MT surface is pronounced. The hovering head tends to stay upright with a reduced footprint on the MT, and interacts differently between the α-tubulin CTT (αCTT) and β-tubulin CTT (βCTT) where it can "vine-swing" between the two, or brachiate. Unexpectedly, there were a few residues forming notable contacts including, L317 on α6 of kinesin, Y451 at the C-terminus of αCTT, and F446 in the middle of βCTT. These results provide a foundation for studying the stepping or diffusion of kinesins, as well as the effects of MT post-translational modifications or interaction with other MT-associated proteins.
Easy-to-perform and effective assessments for runners are needed for high-volume screening of injury risk in clinical settings. Markerless motion capture systems offer comprehensive, fast, and less expensive tests for capturing kinematic and kinetic metrics that are related to running injury compared to traditional laboratory setups. Hypothesis/Purpose: The purposes of this study were to 1) characterize functional test performance in endurance runners using markerless motion capture, and 2) determine the strength of associations between markerless motion capture-based functional movement performance and instrumented treadmill-based kinetic features of running. Sex differences in functional performance tests and in gait characteristics were secondary exploratory analyses. Cross-sectional study. Sixty-two recreational runners (40.3% female; 31.5±16.8 yr) ran on an instrumented treadmill, and performed a series of dynamic functional tests using a markerless motion system. Functional tests included lateral bound, multiple hop (5-Hop test), and single-legged jumps. Net ground reaction force (GRF) and vertical average loading rate (VALR) were calculated. Peak GRF at takeoff and landing, and performance scores (jump heights, distances, asymmetries) were obtained from functional tests. Correlations were determined for GRF, VALR, and performance scores from running and function. Interlimb performance differences for these functional tests ranged from 2.6% (mulithop), 3.6% (lateral bound), and 14.3% (single-legged jump). Correlation coefficients between peak running GRFs and markerless motion-derived single-legged hop, lateral bound, and multihop tests were moderate-to-strong (r=0.641 to 0.882; all p<0.001). Performance scores (jump heights and bound distance) demonstrated fair-to-moderate relationships (r=0.502 to 0.882). Correlation coefficients between VALRs from running and GRFs obtained from functional tests were lower (r=0.147 to 0.742). Endurance runners demonstrated similar interlimb performance on multihop and lateral bound tests. Markerless motion testing-derived GRFs are correlated to GRFs obtained during running. Markerless motion capture may offer a cheaper, more time-efficient method to obtain meaningful translational kinetic values for runners. 3.
Design and acquisition of large-scale complex engineered systems can use technical measures to compare system alternatives through setting constraints on those measures and/or providing objectives using the measures. Selecting a technical measure set can be uncertain, with little selection guidance available, and difficult to validate, potentially leading to omitting technical measures. This research examines the impact of omitting technical measures on system alternative selection using a case study of real-world technical measures and system alternatives. A requirements-based constraint framework and an optimization-based objective function framework are developed using a set of real-world technical measures. The research models how omissions of technical measures lead to choosing a different system alternative. The impacts are demonstrated through an application of the NASA Human Landing System (HLS) using 13 system alternatives, including the systems proposed to NASA by Blue Origin, SpaceX, and Dynetics. The research finds that omissions in the constraint framework open the design space, potentially changing the system alternative chosen. Omissions in the objective function framework alter the indicated ordinal preference for the system alternatives, changing the system alternative chosen. An omitted technical measure on the side of the acquirer may change the system alternative selected, directing millions of dollars towards a specific organization and system. This research highlights the practical impacts of omissions of technical measures for awarding contracts during system acquisition. The likelihood of omissions, the difficulty to validate outcomes, and the impacts of omissions demonstrated in this research form evidence that the connection amongst problem formulation, problem solving, and validation must be emphasized if used for system alternative selection.
Dextrocardia is a rare structural abnormality that poses challenge to interventional procedures of atrial fibrillation (AF). Concomitant ablation and left atrial appendage (LAA) occlusion offers a single-procedure approach for rhythm control and thromboembolic risk reduction in select patients with AF. Pulsed field ablation (PFA) may offer advantages in concomitant procedures in dextrocardia; however, available data remain limited. A 61-year-old man with dextrocardia presented with symptomatic paroxysmal AF. PFA and LAA occlusion were successfully performed guided by multimodal imaging. At 3-month follow-up, no arrhythmia and complete LAA seal was detected. PFA did not significantly alter the LAA landing zone diameter despite that proximal ridge edema was observed. Intracardiac echocardiography offers significant advantages during the combined procedures. PFA-based pulmonary vein isolation combined with LAA occlusion guided by intracardiac echocardiography is a feasible and safe choice for AF with dextrocardia. PFA could induce pulmonary ridge edema but did not affect LAA landing zone dimension.
Sport-related concussion (SRC) increases the risk of subsequent musculoskeletal injury, yet the mechanisms underlying this vulnerability remain unclear. Fear of movement (kinesiophobia) may contribute to impaired motor control. This study examined kinesiophobia and postural stability in adolescent athletes at return-to-play (RTP) after SRC and evaluated changes six months later. Observational analytical study with cross-sectional (case-control) and prospective cohort components. Thirty-seven concussed athletes (15.7 ± 1.3 years, 45.9% female) and 17 matched controls (16.4 ± 2.1 years, 52.9% female) completed static single-leg stance and dynamic single-leg landing tasks under single- and dual-task (Stroop) conditions. Fear of movement was measured with the Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia (TSK-11). A subset of 12 concussed athletes and eight controls repeated testing at six months. Postural stability was quantified using ground reaction forces; higher values indicated worse performance. Group differences at RTP were examined using independent-samples t-tests or Mann-Whitney U tests. Longitudinal changes from were examined using paired-samples t-tests or Wilcoxon signed-rank tests. Effect sizes and exact p-values were reported, with α set at .05. At RTP, concussed athletes reported higher TSK-11 scores than controls (18.6 ± 4.2 vs. 15.6 ± 3.9, p = 0.013, d = 0.74). No significant group differences were observed for static or dynamic postural stability under single- or dual-task conditions (all p > 0.12). Within the concussion group, those with higher TSK-11 scores consistently showed poorer stability, although this difference was not statistically significant. At six months, concussed athletes demonstrated moderate improvements in TSK-11 (17.0 ± 3.9 to 13.4 ± 6.9) and dual-task dynamic stability, but changes did not reach statistical significance. Adolescents cleared for RTP after SRC exhibited elevated kinesiophobia, despite having balance performance comparable to controls. Screening for fear of movement may help identify athletes at risk for delayed recovery or reinjury, complementing standard postural stability assessments. 3.
Oversizing of a stent graft limb is one of the risk factors for limb graft occlusion after endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) for abdominal aortic and iliac artery aneurysms. We report a case of common iliac artery (CIA) aneurysm with a shrunken external iliac artery (EIA) treated with a Gore C3 Excluder (W. L. Gore & Associates, Flagstaff, AZ, USA) and VBX (W. L. Gore & Associates). A 76-year-old man was incidentally diagnosed with a right CIA aneurysm (diameter = 55 mm) on CT examination. He had a history of spinal cord injury at the age of 33 years, which paralyzed the lower part of his body. Owing to disuse atrophy, his right EIA became smaller with a diameter of 5 mm. The patient was treated with a Gore Excluder C3, and to prevent oversizing of the distal landing zone, a 6-mm VBX was used as the right stent graft limb. The postoperative course was uneventful, and 1 year after EVAR, the stent graft limb was patent. This case report describes successful endovascular treatment using Excluder C3 and VBX for CIA aneurysm with a shrunken EIA. In the case of a small-caliber EIA, the use of VBX may help avoid oversizing of the stent graft limb, which may prevent stent graft limb occlusion.
Neuromuscular and balance-based training programs have been shown to reduce lower extremity injury risk by improving biomechanical and sensorimotor control. However, randomized controlled trials examining the effects of short-term interventions on landing mechanics (LESS-RT) and related sensorimotor outcomes in national-level female wrestlers are limited. This parallel-group randomized controlled trial was conducted in a supervised training environment integrated with regular wrestling practice. Twenty-two female wrestlers were randomly assigned to an intervention group (n = 11) or a control group (n = 11). The intervention consisted of a 4-week neuromuscular balance-based training program. Landing mechanics were assessed using LESS-RT. Secondary outcomes included knee proprioception via joint position reproduction, force sense error using a Pressure Biofeedback Unit, static balance (Single-Leg Stance Test), and functional performance (Single-Leg Hop Test Battery). The intervention group demonstrated significant improvements in landing mechanics, with LESS-RT decreasing from 13.54 ± 1.29 to 9.18 ± 0.98 (p < < 0.001). Improvements were also observed in knee proprioception, static balance, and single-leg functional performance. Between-group comparisons favoured the intervention group across all outcome measures. A short-term neuromuscular balance training program leads to meaningful improvements in landing mechanics and associated sensorimotor functions, suggesting potential for reducing knee injury risk in female wrestlers. ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT07504666, registered on March 18, 2026.