1.
Minimizing Injury and Maximizing Return to Play: Lessons from Engineered Ligaments.
Baar, K
Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.). 2017;(Suppl 1):5-11
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Abstract
Musculoskeletal injuries account for more than 70% of time away from sports. One of the reasons for the high number of injuries and long return to play is that we have only a very basic understanding of how our training alters tendon and ligament (sinew) structure and function. Sinews are highly dense tissues that are difficult to characterize both in vivo and in vitro. Recently, engineered ligaments have been developed in vitro using cells from human anterior cruciate ligaments or hamstring tendons. These three-dimensional tissues can be grown in a laboratory, treated with agents thought to affect sinew physiology, and then mechanically tested to determine their function. Using these tissues, we have learned that sinews, like bone, quickly become refractory to an exercise stimulus, suggesting that short (<10 min) periods of activity with relatively long (6 h) periods of rest are best to train these tissues. The engineered sinews have also shown how estrogen decreases sinew function and that a factor released following intense exercise increases sinew collagen synthesis and function. Last, engineered sinews are being used to screen possible nutritional interventions that may benefit tendon or ligament function. Using the data derived from these tissue-engineered sinews, new nutritional and training regimes are being designed and tested with the goal of minimizing injury and accelerating return to play.
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Osteoarthritis-related biomarkers following anterior cruciate ligament injury and reconstruction: a systematic review.
Harkey, MS, Luc, BA, Golightly, YM, Thomas, AC, Driban, JB, Hackney, AC, Pietrosimone, B
Osteoarthritis and cartilage. 2015;(1):1-12
Abstract
OBJECTIVE There is an increased risk of developing knee osteoarthritis (OA) following anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury. Biomarkers may provide diagnostic, prognostic, or burden of disease indicators of OA before radiographic changes become apparent. Unfortunately, there has been no systematic review to clarify which biomarkers may be most informative following injury. Therefore, this review critically investigated existing studies of OA-related biomarkers in ACL-deficient (ACL-D) and reconstructed (ACL-R) patients to summarize the current evidence and identify knowledge gaps. DESIGN A systematic review of the literature in Web of Science and PubMed databases (1960-June 2014) was performed. All English-language case-control and longitudinal studies assessing OA-related biomarkers in ACL-D and ACL-R patients were considered. Data regarding biomarker changes over time within ACL-D and ACL-R patients as well as differences in ACL-D/ACL-R patients compared with a control group were extracted from pertinent studies. RESULTS A descriptive summary of 20 included studies was produced. In ACL-D patients compared with controls, synovial fluid biomarkers indicated elevated collagen turnover, while the inflammatory cytokine response was inconclusive. In ACL-R patients, serum concentrations indicated decreased collagen breakdown, but urine concentrations were indicative of greater collagen breakdown when compared to controls. Compared to preoperative values, the overall inflammatory cytokine response measured with synovial fluid biomarkers increased while plasma biomarkers did not change following reconstruction. CONCLUSION Patients with ACL-D or ACL-R have altered biomarkers indicative of OA. More research with standardized reporting is needed to effectively determine which biomarkers are the most indicative for OA development and progression following ACL injury.
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Operative and nonoperative treatment options for ACL tears in the adult patient: a conceptual review.
Bogunovic, L, Matava, MJ
The Physician and sportsmedicine. 2013;(4):33-40
Abstract
Injury to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is common among athletic individuals. Both nonoperative and operative treatment options exist. The optimal treatment of an adult with an ACL tear depends on several patient-specific factors, including age, occupation, and desired activity level. In less active patients with sedentary jobs, nonoperative management, consisting of physical therapy, bracing, and activity modification can yield successful results. In active patients who want to resume participation in jumping, cutting, or pivoting sports, patients who have physically demanding occupations, or patients who fail a trial of nonoperative management, ACL reconstruction is recommended. Reconstruction utilizing autograft tissue is preferred over allograft, especially in the younger athlete, but allograft tissue is a reasonable option in the older (aged > 40 years) and less active adult, as well. Successful results have been achieved with both patellar tendon and hamstring grafts. The optimal treatment in adult patients with ACL tears should be based on careful consideration of the patient's goals for return to activity, knee-specific comorbidities, such as coexistent meniscal pathology or osteoarthritis, and his or her willingness to follow a detailed rehabilitation regimen. Our article provides an overview of current nonoperative and operative treatment options for adults with ACL tears, considers the outcomes of both nonoperative and operative strategies, and provides general recommendations as to the ideal management for a given patient.