With the increasing popularity of extreme conditioning programmes, athletes and patients are searching for new, engaging, high-intensity, total-body workouts. The sport of Hooverball is increasingly used as a workout. First devised in the USA in 1929 to keep President Hoover physically fit, Hooverball has experienced increasing popularity in the past 15 years. The game is scored like tennis and played like volleyball, with players throwing and catching a heavy medicine ball over a volleyball net. Players use complex, multi-joint, explosive movements, featuring torsion, flexion and extension to absorb the forces involved. This paper reports a case of a Hooverball player who presented with a knee injury. The paper also reviews the origins of the sport, and its increase in popularity related to the increasing prominence of extreme conditioning programmes. A literature review, and common Hooverball-related injuries, are presented. Clinical recommendations are set out for patient safety, injury prevention and game coverage, including a prehabilitation strategy for players prior to engaging in this revived and growing sport.

Introduction

Cycling is known to cause groin pain, typically adductor/hamstring strains and "saddle sores" (skin abrasion, ulceration and/or folliculitis). Rarely does it result in pathological mesenchymal lesions.

Presentation of case

We report a case of a 52-year-old female avid cyclist with chronic groin pain. Activity alteration, bike fit, and saddle modification did not ameliorate her symptoms. MRI revealed no hamstring or bony abnormality but demonstrated low T1/high T2 signal in the right perineum inferior to the ischial tuberosity.

Discussion

Perineal nodular induration, or "cyclist's nodule," is a reactive fibroblastic and myofibroblastic pseudotumor almost exclusively reported in male cyclists. PNI can become so nodular that it has even been referred to as an accessory testicle or "the cyclist's third testicle."

Conclusion

We report an unusual case of PNI in a female cyclist and review the differential diagnosis of non-infectious soft tissue perineal pain in cyclists. Clinicians should be aware of this rare condition to avoid confusion with other mesenchymal lesions.

Endurance events have experienced a significant increase in growth in the new millennium and are popular activities for participation globally. Sports nutrition recommendations for endurance exercise however remains a complex issue with often opposing views and advice by various health care professionals. A PubMed/Medline search on the topics of endurance, athletes, nutrition, and performance was undertaken and a review performed summarizing the current evidence concerning macronutrients, hydration, and supplements as it pertains to endurance athletes. Carbohydrate and hydration recommendations have not drastically changed in years, while protein and fat intake have been traditionally underemphasized in endurance athletes. Several supplements are commercially available to athletes, of which, few may be of benefit for endurance activities, including nitrates, antioxidants, caffeine, and probiotics, and are reviewed here. The topic of "train low," training in a low carbohydrate state is also discussed, and the post-exercise nutritional "recovery window" remains an important point to emphasize to endurance competitors. This review summarizes the key recommendations for macronutrients, hydration, and supplements for endurance athletes, and helps clinicians treating endurance athletes clear up misconceptions in sports nutrition research when counseling the endurance athlete.

A 63-year-old woman with common variable immunodeficiency (CVID) presented with 1 year of insidious onset lower extremity pain and weakness. She underwent a circuitous workup, failed to improve despite treatment for various presumed diagnoses. She presented to a University physical medicine and rehabilitation clinic with continued symptoms. Electrophysiologic testing was recommended revealing a lower extremity motor greater than sensory axonal neuropathy. While CVID has known central nervous system complications, to our knowledge, this represents the second known reported case of peripheral neuropathy. We review the literature on CVID and summarize neurological disease mechanisms and manifestations. Although peripheral neuropathy is a rarely documented complication of CVID, providers need to be aware of potential peripheral nervous system complications of primary immune deficiencies such as CVID due to its significant impact on physical performance, balance, and fall risks.

Subclavian artery occlusion (SAO) is a rare form of peripheral artery disease, sometimes associated with arterial thoracic outlet syndrome (ATOS). Subclavian arterial and venous occlusions are often misdiagnosed initially, and their clinical presentation can be confusing in bodybuilding athletes with increased vascularity in combination with anabolic steroid use. We present a 63-year-old male weightlifter with a history of hypertensive cardiomyopathy, renal transplant with left upper extremity arteriovenous fistula and subsequent takedown, cervical spinal stenosis, left rotator cuff surgery, and decades of testosterone injections who presented with years of left shoulder and neck pain. After having seen multiple providers and being diagnosed with various common disorders, CT angiography and conventional angiography were eventually performed and confirmed the presence of chronic SAO. The chronic occlusion was not deemed amenable to surgery or endovascular intervention and was treated medically with anticoagulation. Although anabolic steroid use is associated with arterial thrombosis, to our knowledge, this is the first reported case of SAO in a weightlifter. Initial misdiagnosis resulted in a long and costly workup. Although the patient's symptoms were consistent with occlusion (and his increased vascularity could potentially suggest chronic thrombosis of any kind), these key signs were masked given his weightlifting history, anabolic steroid use, and concurrent degenerative musculoskeletal conditions common to the weightlifting population. A thorough history, comprehensive physical examination, appropriate imaging studies, and a high index of suspicion for vascular occlusion in athletes who use steroids are critical for the timely diagnosis and treatment of SAO.

For elite athletes who exercise at a high level, sleep is critical to overall health. Many studies have documented the effects of sleep deprivation in the general population, but few studies exist regarding specific effects in the athlete. This review summarizes the effects of sleep deprivation and sleep extension on athletic performance, including reaction time, accuracy, strength and endurance, and cognitive function. There are clear negative effects of sleep deprivation on performance, including reaction time, accuracy, vigor, submaximal strength, and endurance. Cognitive functions such as judgment and decision-making also suffer. Sleep extension can positively affect reaction times, mood, sprint times, tennis serve accuracy, swim turns, kick stroke efficiency, and increased free throw and 3-point accuracy. Banking sleep (sleep extension prior to night of intentional sleep deprivation before sporting event) is a new concept that may also improve performance. For sports medicine providers, the negative effects of sleep deprivation cannot be overstated to athletes. To battle sleep deprivation, athletes may seek supplements with potentially serious side effects; improving sleep quality however is simple and effective, benefiting not only athlete health but also athletic performance.

Implantable medical devices, such as pacemakers, have significantly improved the quality of life for patients with cardiac conditions, allowing them to maintain active lifestyles. Nonetheless, these devices can present unique challenges when interacting with the wearers physical activities, potentially leading to unforeseen complications. Here, we present a case of an 81-year-old male golfer, with a history of atrial fibrillation, congestive heart failure, and sick sinus syndrome, who experienced atrial lead noise from his pacemaker, exclusively triggered by his golf swing. This incident, which led to multiple interventions including lead extraction, reimplantation, and eventually a switch to a unipolar lead configuration, represents the first documented case of its kind. It underscores the intricate relationship between the biomechanical forces of certain sports and the functionality of implanted cardiac devices. Through detailed electrophysiology testing, this case demonstrates how specific movements inherent to the patients golf swing could induce micro-damage to the pacemaker leads, causing noise and malfunction. The findings from this case emphasize the need for healthcare providers to perform sport-specific biomechanical evaluations and create tailored rehabilitation strategies that consider the unique physical demands placed on patients with implanted devices. This approach is important not only for diagnosing and managing similar cases but also for advancing our understanding of how to best support the active lifestyles of patients with implanted cardiac devices, ensuring their safety and longevity.

BACKGROUND: Wilsons disease (WD) is a rare genetic disorder characterized by copper accumulation in the body, leading to a spectrum of health issues, such as liver disease, neurological disturbances, and psychiatric disorders. In recent years, there has been increasing recognition that WD can also result in osteoarticular defects. Research has shed light on the potential of WD to cause these findings, which in some instances, can progress to osteoarthritis and persistent pain. However, the exact pathophysiological process through which WD leads to osteochondral defects remains unclear. CASE DESCRIPTION: We present a case of a 30-year-old male diagnosed with WD exhibiting musculoskeletal symptoms. The patients medical history revealed chronic intermittent knee pain. Radiographic and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies revealed a substantial osteochondral lesion with high-grade chondral fissuring. This report reviews the proposed pathophysiology of orthopedic pathology in WD, offers an updated literature review, and provides clinical recommendations for management. Treatment options including nonsurgical options and surgery are discussed. CONCLUSIONS: This case underscores the significance of identifying the orthopedic manifestations of WD, even in the absence of classic signs and symptoms. Any WD patient suspected of having osteoarticular defects should be thoroughly evaluated, with a low threshold for initiating imaging studies. Moreover, treatment plans should be tailored to the patients specific presentation, emphasizing the importance of individualized patient care. This case highlights key findings in WD and provides important insights, particularly on the clinical relevance of osteoarticular defects in WD, the potential application of nonsurgical and surgical treatments, and the importance of individualized patient care in the management of WD.

Intramuscular degloving injuries (IDIs) are a rare and unique type of muscle injury where there is a dissociation between the inner and outer components of a particular muscle. This type of injury is seen exclusively within the rectus femoris (RF) muscle due to its unique muscle-within-a-muscle anatomy and represents 9% of RF injuries. Despite the significance of this injury, limited knowledge exists regarding the mechanism, management, and prognosis of IDIs, and IDIs are not currently included among the various muscle injury classifications. We present a 38-year-old active male with a one-week history of acute onset right anterior mid-thigh pain and palpable lump after playing kickball. Right thigh MRI revealed an IDI of the RF muscle, edema within the inner and outer muscular portions of the muscle, and a retraction of the torn inner indirect myotendinous complex of the RF. He was managed with physical therapy while being advised to avoid aggressive quadriceps contractions, high-intensity, or high-impact exercise. This is the first reported case of an IDI that occurred in an older recreational athlete (versus young competitive athletes), and the first case of an IDI in a kicking sport other than soccer (kickball). This case emphasizes the importance of a broader awareness of this injury, and a heightened index of suspicion is advised in assessing potential IDIs to improve patient prognosis and rehabilitation. Given the limited understanding and rarity of this injury, we also provide a comprehensive review describing the IDI to the RF.

Introduction Despite the prevalence of corticosteroid injections in athletes, little is known about their efficacy in triathletes. We aim to assess attitudes, use, subjective effectiveness, and time to return to sport with corticosteroid injections compared to alternative methods in triathletes with knee pain. Methods This is an observational study during the COVID-19 pandemic. Triathletes answered a 13-question survey posted to three triathlon-specific websites. Results Sixty-one triathletes responded, 97% of whom experienced knee pain at some point in their triathlete career; 63% with knee pain received a corticosteroid injection as treatment (average age 51 years old). The most popular attitude (44.3%) regarding corticosteroid injections was "tried them, with good improvement". Most found the cortisone injection helpful for two to three months (28.6%), or more than one year (28.6%); of individuals who found the injections useful for more than one year, four-eight (50%) had received multiple injections during that same period. After injection, 80.6% returned to sport within one month. The average age of people using alternative treatment methods was 39 years old; most returned to sport within one month (73.7%). Compared to alternative methods, there was an ~80% higher odds of returning to sport within one month using corticosteroid injections; however, this relationship was not significant (OR=1.786, p=0.480, 95% CI:0.448-7.09). Conclusion This is the first study to examine corticosteroid use in triathletes. Corticosteroid use is more common in older triathletes and results in subjective pain improvement. A strong association does not exist for a quicker return to sport using corticosteroid injections compared to alternative methods. Triathletes should be counseled on the timing of injections, duration of side effects, and be aware of potential risks.