Publication of a monthly scientific journal requires authors and reviewers to work together and contribute time, effort, and knowledge to ensure that new scientific discoveries and clinical observations are shared with the utmost accuracy. With this in mind, it is Editor-in-Chief Dr. Guy Simoneau's privilege to, once again, use the end-of-year editorial to recognize the many talented individuals who contributed to the knowledge shared through JOSPT this past year.

J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2008;38(12):733-735. doi:10.2519/jospt.2008.0111

KEY WORDS: authors, reviewers, team effort

STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional. OBJECTIVES: To measure fear of movement/reinjury levels and determine the association with function at different timeframes during anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction rehabilitation. We hypothesized that fear of movement/reinjury would decrease during rehabilitation and be inversely related with function. BACKGROUND: Fear of movement/reinjury can prevent return to sports after ACL reconstruction, but it has not been studied during rehabilitation. METHODS AND MEASURES: Demographic data and responses on the shortened version of Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia (TSK-11), 8-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-8), and International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) subjective form were extracted from a clinical database for 97 patients in the first year after ACL reconstruction. Three groups were formed: group 1, less than or equal to 90 days; group 2, 91 to 180 days; group 3: 181 to 372 days post-ACL reconstruction. Group differences in TSK-11 score, SF-8 bodily pain rating, and IKDC scores were determined. Hierarchical linear regression models were created for each group, with IKDC score as the dependent variable and demographic factors, SF-8 bodily pain rating, and TSK-11 score as independent variables. RESULTS: TSK-11 score was higher in group 1 than in group 3 (P < .05). Across the groups, SF-8 bodily pain rating decreased (P < .001) and IKDC score increased (P < .001). SF-8 bodily pain rating was a significant factor in the regression model for all groups, whereas TSK-11 score only contributed to the regression model in group 3 (partial correlation, -0.529). CONCLUSIONS: Pain was consistently associated with function across the timeframes studied. Fear of movement/reinjury levels appear to decrease during ACL reconstruction rehabilitation and are associated with function in the timeframe when patients return to sports. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Prognosis, level 4.

J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2008;38(12):746-753, published online 19 September 2008. doi:10.2519/jospt.2008.2887

KEY WORDS: ACL, knee injury, outcomes, psychosocial

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. OBJECTIVES: To determine if runners with a history of Achilles tendonopathy (AT) demonstrate a difference in transverse-plane motion and moments at the distal tibia and knee compared to runners without a history of AT. BACKGROUND: One of the more prevalent overuse running injuries is AT. It has been hypothesized that prolonged pronation causes contradictory rotational forces acting on the AT. Conflicting joint motions may also accentuate the rotation of the tendon. This may further affect the opposing transverse-plane moments at the knee and distal tibia. METHODS AND MEASURES: Eight runners with a history of AT and a noninjured control group consisting of 8 runners ran along a 20-m runway at a fixed speed. Biomechanical measurements were taken using a 6-camera motion analysis system and a force plate.  Student t tests were employed to determine statistically significant differences (P ≤ .05) in transverse-plane motion and moment variables at the distal tibia and knee between groups. RESULTS: The AT group showed less tibial external rotation moment (P = .01) and peak knee internal rotation (P = .05) compared to the control group. There was no difference in external rotation moment at the knee (P = .34) or peak tibial internal rotation (P = .44). CONCLUSION: Runners with a previous history of AT exhibited less tibial external rotation moments during running. The lack of control in the transverse-plane at the distal tibia may be due to decreased function of the muscles primarily responsible for transverse-plane motion, resulting in greater strain on the AT in the transverse-plane. Designing an exercise program to strengthen lower leg muscles and improve distal tibial control in the transverse-plane may reduce the risk for developing AT or augment the rehabilitation of AT.

J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2008;38(12):761-767, published online 19 September 2008. doi:10.2519/jospt.2008.2911

KEY WORDS: injury, running, tendon

STUDY DESIGN: Controlled laboratory study using a cross-sectional design. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the relationship between postural control and functional ankle instability during a hop-landing task, and to investigate whether postural control is altered in people with functional ankle instability. METHODS AND MEASURES: Sixty volunteers classified by the Cumberland Ankle Instability Tool (CAIT) scores formed the external control group (CAIT score, ≥ 28, n = 31) and the instability group (CAIT score, ≤ 27 and history of at least 1 ankle sprain; n = 29). Postural control was measured with the landing test, in which participants stood on 1 lower extremity for 3 seconds on a step, then hopped down onto a force plate and regained postural stability after landing. The main outcome measurements were time to stability (TTS) after landing for ankle inversion, dorsiflexion, and summated electromyographic (EMG) signal amplitude for the tibialis anterior, soleus, and fibularis longus. The secondary outcomes were the proportion of movement in the frontal plane for hip and ankle, the variability of inversion movement prior to hopping, and the variables from ground reaction force. RESULTS: There were no associations (P > .05) between the CAIT scores and the TTS for ankle inversion (r = -0.25), dorsiflexion (r = -0.04), summated EMG (r = -0.13) and proportion of movement in the frontal plane (r = 0.005). Participants in the instability group took longer to regain stability in inversion and displayed greater inversion variability prejump than the control group (P = .05 and .009, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Ankle inversion control is affected in people with functional ankle instability in tasks of postural control after landing from a hop.

J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2008;38(12):782-789, published online 24 October 2008. doi:10.2519/jospt.2008.2766

The patient was a 46-year-old man referred to physical therapy for the treatment of low back pain that was present for the past 10 months. Neurologic findings were significant, with upper and lower extremity hyperreflexia bilaterally and positive Romberg, Lhermitte, and Hoffman signs. Due to the strong suspicion of spinal cord involvement, the physical therapist contacted the referring physician and recommended expedited cervical spine magnetic resonance imaging, which revealed severe central canal stenosis at C3-4 and C5-6, secondary to spondylotic changes, and altered spinal cord intensity consistent with myelomalacia. Despite a neurosurgeon's recommendations, the patient denied surgical intervention. It is recommended that physical therapists utilize screening questions regarding changes in sensation, strength, gait, and bowel and bladder function during the patient interview. A positive response to any of these questions should prompt the completion of a thorough neurological examination, including assessment and interpretation of pathological reflexes.

J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2008;38(12):798-798. doi:10.2519/jospt.2008.0412

KEY WORDS: magnetic resonance imaging, spinal cord

Index by subject of all manuscripts published by the Journal during 2008.

J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2008;38(12):815-824.