Sports-related traumatic brain injuries are the most common injury in adolescents and young adults due to recurrent concussion experiences and head shock. Therefore, this study was designed to describe player characteristics and situational factors associated with concussions in the World Taekwondo Championships using systematic video analysis. Athlete injury data were collected using a web-based injury surveillance system at the World Taekwondo Championships organized by World Taekwondo from 2017 to 2019. Seven video footage were independently analyzed by four analysts using a modified Heads-Up Checklist. Descriptive statistical analysis was used. The incidence of concussion was 3.21 per 1000 games. Most players with concussions were shorter than their opponents, and most concussions were caused by a roundhouse kick on the front of the face. Regarding the acceleration direction of the head after the impact, transverse and multiplane directions were the most common. Most players with a concussion have used a closed stance and did not use blocking techniques during the defense. The rate of concussions caused by penalties was 42.9%. Based on our findings, no other injury mechanisms, except for direct blows to the head, were observed. Therefore, education on the risk and symptoms of concussion, the appropriate management and blocking techniques should be emphasized in TKD-S to reduce incidence of concussion.

We aimed to describe injury incidence and patterns at the 2019 World Taekwondo Championships (WTC), and to compare them with those of previous WTCs, based on new World Taekwondo (WT) competition rules, medical codes, and the Protector and Scoring System (PSS). This prospective cohort study utilized data obtained through the WT Injury Surveillance System. All athletes with injuries were evaluated by on-site sports medicine specialists, and ultrasonography was used to assess all musculoskeletal injuries. Of 936 athletes, 60 injuries were recorded (6.4 injuries/100 athletes, 95% confidence intervals [CI]: 4.8–8.0), and 4.5% (n = 42) sustained at least one injury. Males had a higher risk of sustaining injuries than females (incidence rate ratio: 1.57; 95% CI: 0.89–2.76). The most common sites, type, and mechanism were lower extremities (n = 26, 43.33%), contusion/hematoma/bruises (n = 33, 55.0%), and contact with another athlete (n = 50, 83.33%). Overall, the injury patterns associated with the mechanism of injury were similar in both the 2019 and 2017 WTCs. Refined WT competition rules and a re-established PSS at the 2019 WTC reduced the overall and severe injury incidence. Our findings can help revise Taekwondo competition rules, enhance protective equipment, optimize on-site venue medical systems, and develop injury prevention projects.

Introduction: In this study, we compared lower-extremity alignment between the supporting leg (SL) and gesturing leg (GL) in ballet dancers and examined whether alignment asymmetry varies according to SL dominance. Methods: Twenty-two female ballet dancers (mean ± SD age, 21.55 ± 1.82 years; ballet experience, 15.00 ± 2.45 years) with no history of lower-extremity injury participated in this cross-sectional study. Based on habitual SL use during ballet-specific movements (passé and en dehors), assessed using a structured questionnaire, the participants were classified as SL-left (SLL; n = 14) or SL-right (SLR; n = 8). Static lower-extremity alignment variables were measured bilaterally under weight-bearing (WB) and non-weight-bearing (NWB) conditions in the supine, prone, and standing positions. SL-GL differences were tested using Wilcoxon signed-rank tests, and SLR differences in asymmetry indices were tested using Mann-Whitney U tests. Results: Under NWB conditions, the SL exhibited more inverted rearfoot alignment than the GL ( P = .028, r = .47). Under WB conditions, the navicular drop was greater in the GL than in the SL ( P = .015, r = .52). No statistically significant SL-GL differences were observed in proximal alignment variables. In the dominance comparison, the SLR group demonstrated greater asymmetry in Q-angle ( P = .040, r = .44) and rearfoot alignment ( P = .037, r = .45) under NWB conditions, whereas proximal alignment asymmetry did not differ between the groups. Conclusion: In this sample of female ballet dancers, lower-extremity alignment asymmetry was most evident in the distal segments and varied according to limb role and loading condition. SL dominance was associated with the magnitude of distal asymmetry, particularly in foot and rearfoot alignment variables. These findings suggest that distal alignment asymmetry in ballet dancers may represent role- and load-dependent functional adaptations, highlighting the importance of limb-specific assessment under both WB and NWB conditions.

Category: Ankle; Sports Introduction/Purpose: Achilles tendon re-rupture (ATRR) during the subacute postoperative phase is the rupture of the repaired site combined with suture material failure induced by an unexpected traumatic event during postoperative months one to three after primary Achilles tendon repair. This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of conservative treatment for subacute ATRR. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 390 cases (385 patients) who underwent primary Achilles tendon repair between January 2010 and August 2021. All patients had more than 12 months of follow-up and were divided into two groups based on the development of subacute ATRR (Group 1: 370 cases without ATRR; Group 2: 20 cases with ATRR). Then, we compared several outcome parameters between the groups after administering conservative treatment to those with ATRR. The baseline timepoints in Groups 1 and 2 were the primary repair and re-injury dates. Results: After primary Achilles tendon repair, 5.13% of patients experienced subacute ATRR. The time to performing a single heel raise (SHR) and performing ten repetitive SHRs did not differ between the groups (P = 0.281, 0.486). Likewise, isokinetic dynamometer results showed that the peak torque of 30o/s and 120o/s plantar flexions (the absolute value and the percentage to the contralateral side) also did not differ between the groups (P >0.05, each). However, the early Achilles tendon Total Rupture Score scale and the Foot and Ankle Ability Measure scores before six months were significantly lower in Group 2 than in Group 1 (both P < 0.05); at 12 months, the scores did not differ between the two groups (both P >0.05). Conclusion: Conservative treatment for subacute ATRR after primary Achilles tendon repair has comparable clinical outcomes to those without ATRR.