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Conservative Management of Athletic Pubalgia in a Collegiate Beach Volleyball Athlete: A Case Study
No full textA 24-year-old female collegiate beach volleyball athlete experienced sharp pain in the pubis symphysis region after turning and running to reach a ball hit over her right shoulder. The patient was unable to move her lower extremities without extreme pain and required help off the court. She was referred to the student health center, where no initial imaging was performed. Differential diagnoses included osteitis pubis, abdominal strain, and athletic pubalgia. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed a small partial sports hernia with the shearing of the aponeurotic plate. The team physician recommended conservative management. The patient requested a consultation with a specialist in Pennsylvania. The specialist reviewed the MRI with the patient via telehealth. The specialists stated they did not believe the tear would progress, and conservative management would be an excellent option for the season. The surgical protocol from the institution was adjusted for conservative return-to-play for this athlete. Initially, the patient was on bed rest and removed entirely from her daily responsibilities. The patient returned to sport one-month post-injury, following an individualized conservative rehabilitation return-to-play. Although surgical intervention is the primary treatment approach for athletic pubalgia, conservative management was ultimately the treatment solution for this patient. While working with athletes, athletic trainers need to take into consideration the athlete’s desires and goals. Further research should be done to develop conservative return-to-sport protocols. Additionally, current research is primarily male-focused, so research that includes more diverse populations should also be conducted
Introducing Patient-Centered Outcomes to Preceptors in CAATE-Approved Athletic Training Programs
No full textThe 2020 standards set by the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE) now require the incorporation of the International Classification of Function and Patient-Centered Outcomes into professional practice. These standards can be introduced initially through simulation, but to develop a competent and culturally aware professional, outcome measures should be completed during clinical experiences under the guidance of approved preceptors. As this is a relatively new standard, many preceptors did not receive this as part of their education and may be uncomfortable integrating outcomes into their practice. This lack of integration can negatively affect the learning opportunities of athletic training (AT) students and limit the continued growth toward an evidence-based practice of the preceptor. Just as preceptors assist athletic training education programs with clinical supervision and evaluation of skill development, the athletic training educational program, in turn, should help the preceptors in continued clinical improvement and development of evidence-based practice
Incorporating Balance Training into Ankle Sprain Injury Prevention Programs: An Evidence-to-Practice Review
No full textAnkle sprains are among the most common injuries in sports and non-sporting activities. For patients, ankle sprains can result in multiple short and long-term hardships, such as financial burdens of evaluation and treatment, absenteeism from sport and physical activity, and diminished ankle and lower extremity function. However, athletic trainers and other stakeholders are also impacted by administrative and time burdens in caring for ankle sprains and how ankle sprains affect team dynamics and performance. The 2022 guiding systematic review evaluated the effectiveness of incorporating preventive balance training exercises on the incidence of ankle sprains in soccer athletes. The search performed by the guiding systematic review identified 9 studies from 4 online article repositories to pool and evaluate. Each of the included studies compared experimental and control protocols. Ankle sprain prevention programs focused on balance training revealed a 41% reduction in ankle injuries per 1,000 hours of exposure to exercise versus control interventions. A 42% decline in ankle sprains occurred in males, while a 15% decline occurred in females when performing a balance training program. A targeted ankle sprain prevention protocol as a component of warm-up and training sessions can reduce ankle sprains in soccer athletes. When developing an ankle sprain injury prevention program, the healthcare professional should create a multi-month strategy with a minimum goal of 2+ days per week emphasizing multimodal activities that challenge multiple body systems, proprioceptive exercises, and participant compliance
Use of an Electronic Dynamometer Following Pitching to Identify Fatigue in Softball Pitchers
No full textThis study used a case-series design to collect in-game fatigue measures for collegiate softball pitchers immediately after pitching during the competitive season. Five softball pitchers (age = 19.8 ± 1.5 years; height = 169.9±6.1 cm; body mass = 79.1±22.6 kg) from one Division I program were recruited. Isometric internal and external rotation, scaption, and grip strength measures were collected using an electronic dynamometer at the beginning and conclusion of the fall non-traditional season, and at the beginning of preseason in January. Strength measures were also obtained during the competitive season at the conclusion of pitching in a game and compared to spring baseline measurements obtained during preseason. All strength measurements were normalized to body mass. Repeated measures ANOVAs were performed to compare post-pitching strength to spring preseason baseline, based on number of pitches thrown; additionally, the three primary time points over the academic year were compared using RM-ANOVAs (p \u3c 0.05). No significant differences were observed for any of the dependent variables over time [external rotation (F(2,8) = 0.53, p = .611), internal rotation (F(2,8) = 1.10, p = .379), scaption (F(2,8) = 0.18, p = .838), grip strength (F(2,8)=0.36, p=.707)]. Despite the lack of significance, the primary objective was to consider the use of the dynamometer in data collection following pitching outings throughout the competitive season. Overall, implementation was quick and easy to use; strength and conditioning specialists and athletic trainers should consider the use of electronic dynamometers to assess fatigue and assist in decision-making processes including the management of player load and creation of injury prevention programs
Impact of a Focused Best Practice Workshop on Athletic Trainer Confidence
No full textAthletic trainers are required to be proficient in emergency management skills, without review these skills may decay creating a potentially dangerous knowledge gap. Confidence measures of emergency management skills were taken before and after a workshop to determine if they changed due to the review of material. All 11 confidence measures increased post workshop, seven significantly, including rectal temperature, hemostatic agents, external hemostatic modalities, in-line stabilization, measurement and application of a cervical collar, football and other equipment removal. ATs should aim to incorporate emergency management review into continuing education choices
One-to-one Chromebook Best Practices in Secondary-Level English Language Arts Classrooms
No full textThis hermeneutic phenomenological study aims to examine the lived experiences of secondary-level English Language Arts (ELA) teachers to better understand what, if any, best practices exist for the use of one-to-one Chromebooks in these teachers’ classrooms. Seventeen participants agreed to be interviewed for this study. All participants had at least two years of teaching experience and at least two years of Chromebook experience. Interviews took place over Zoom and were digitally recorded. Five common themes emerged from these collected data: 1) the importance of training; 2) the frequently problematic oversight from administrators; 3) the overall lack of innovation in classroom uses of Chromebooks; 4) the myriad practical, pedagogical, and human challenges; and 5) the middle-of-the-road enthusiasm displayed towards Chromebooks. After careful analysis of these data and themes, it became clear that best practices particular to ELA classrooms or to secondary-level classrooms could not be identified. However, there are three overarching best practices for the use of one-to-one Chromebooks in education. These best practices are: 1) Provide Proper Initial and Ongoing Training; 2) Understand and Prepare for Practical Hardware Issues; and 3) Identify When Chromebooks are Pedagogically Useful
Play the Game Until You Can Change It, Code-Switching Through the Lens of Black Mid-Level Administrators
No full textThis research study explores the multifaceted phenomenon of code-switching, defined as the practice of alternating between languages, dialects, or language varieties within conversations. It posits that code-switching transcends mere linguistic behavior, functioning as a strategic tool for social survival and the enhancement of social capital. The study examines how individuals utilize code-switching to navigate complex social landscapes, negotiate identities, and pursue specific social and professional objectives; thereby contributing to their social capital—the network of relationships and resources that facilitate access to opportunities and influence. The research highlights the broader implications of code-switching on social structures and power dynamics, illustrating how the dominance of certain languages can marginalize individuals lacking proficiency, thus creating barriers to education and employment. Furthermore, the study argues that code-switching serves as a form of linguistic negotiation and resistance against linguistic hegemony, empowering individuals to engage more fully in society despite existing linguistic barriers. Through this analysis, the study underscores the significance of code-switching as a dynamic social practice intricately linked to issues of power, identity, and social equity
Fostering Creativity Through a Signature Creative Writing Pedagogy
No full textThis study offers a historical and conceptual lens to guide the proposed research. A historical account of creative writing in higher education and its relationship to progressive education and creative education is offered. The conceptual framework involves the development of the creative person through the primary pedagogical method within creative writing: the workshop. The research involves a qualitative phenomenological study. Methods utilized include coded observations and interviews
Interprofessional Collaboration to Address Social Isolation and Facilitate Intergenerational Service Learning within Graduate Education
No full textThis article presents an interdisciplinary collaboration to address the needs of older adults at risk of social isolation exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. An intergenerational service-learning program developed by the Pennsylvania Department of Aging was offered to several universities across the state of Pennsylvania. The authors share their experience and lessons learned from pairing older adults with graduate students studying in the fields of Gerontology, Public Health, and Social Work
Stepping Up, Keeping on Track, and Pulling Your Own Weight: Collaborative Arts-Based Service-Learning Metaphors
No full textIn this study, the author explores metaphors related to students’ experiences conducting collaborative arts-based ethnographic research in a U.S. nonprofit organization. A metaphor analysis of 25 students’ essays revealed they were most likely to frame their experiences with arts-based service learning as a journey or a sports contest. The author examines the extent to which students’ metaphors legitimize or delegitimize arts-based service learning, as well as the degree of novelty that characterizes these metaphors. She explores the implications of her findings for teaching and promoting arts-based service learning in the academy