Tennis Players and Tennis Elbow...

Tennis elbow, also known as lateral epicondylitis, is one of the most common conditions seen in a sports medicine outpatient setting. We now know this condition is a chronic and degenerative condition of the extensor tendons over the outside aspect of the elbow. While not limited to only tennis players, this condition can be debilitating and a challenge to manage. Consider following these basic modifications if tennis elbow is affecting your tennis game...

-cut playing tennis down to less than two times per week

-consider changing the size of the racquet grip

-consider a more flexible racquet frame

-consider switching to a softer type of string material

-string tension should be under 56psi

Vitamin D and Knee Arthritis...

The vital role of vitamin D in musculoskeletal health remains a hot topic. Many people in the Midwest are at risk for vitamin D deficiency. A recent study looked at the relationship between vitamin D deficiency and knee arthritis progression. The study concluded patients with a low vitamin D level had a two fold elevated risk of knee arthritis progression...

Contact Athletes and Super Bugs...

A recent study found contact sport athletes more likely to be colonized with MRSA.

Findings presented at the annual meeting of the Infectious Diseases Society of America suggest that college athletes who play contact sports may be more likely than the general population to be colonized with methicillin-resistant Staphylocuccus aureus (MRSA). The research team conducted a 2-year study of 377 male and female Vanderbilt University varsity athletes playing 14 different sports, 224 who played contact sports such as football, soccer, basketball, and lacrosse, and 153 who played noncontact sports such as baseball, cross country, and golf. They found that contact-sport athletes were more than twice as likely as noncontact athletes to be colonized with MRSA. Over the course of the study, MRSA colonization ranged from 8 percent to 31 percent among contact sports athletes, and 0 percent to 23 percent among noncontact athletes. About 5 percent to 10 percent of the general population is estimated to be colonized with MRSA.

Hamstring Injuries and Return to Athletics...

Hamstring injuries are no joke. When an athlete sustains a hamstring injury, the common question immediately following the injury involves when can the athlete return to athletic participation. A recent study showed a fairly broad range of return to sport. The study's average time to return to play was 44 +/- 18 days with a range of 8 and 80 days. In addition to hamstring injuries leading to a large amount of time away from athletics, re-injury rates are very high...