Introduction. Many literatures regarding more specific tests to diagnose the supraspinatus tendon injuries and the best rehabilitation methods to strengthen the supraspinatus have been published. However, conflicting results have been reported. 2-deoxy-2-[18F] fluoro-D-glucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) has been recently used to assess skeletal muscle activities in various fields. Purpose. To evaluate & compare the metabolic activities of deltoid & rotator cuff muscles after the full-can & empty-can exercises using PET-CT. Materials and Methods. Ten healthy volunteers (age 27–34/mean 29.8 ± 2.7) with no history of shoulder pain and diabetes mellitus participated in this study. After FDG injection, both arms were maintained in the position of empty can and full can for ten minutes respectively. PET-CT was performed at forty minutes after the injection. The maximum standardized uptake value (SUV) was measured in the anterior, middle and posterior deltoid, supraspinatus, subacapularis and infraspinauts on the entire axial images. Results. The middle deltoid and subscapularis showed significantly greater activity during the empty-can exercise than during the full-can exercise (P=.006 and P=.003 respectively). The muscular activity of the supraspinatus also increased during the empty-can exercise than during the full-can exercise, although no statistical difference existed between two exercises. Six cases of eight cases who had increased activity of the subscapularis had increased activity in superior one half of the subscapularis than in lower one half of it, although there is no significant difference between two portions. Conclusion. The Empty-can exercise requires more strength of the middle deltoid, subscapularis and supraspinatus to keep the arm in internal rotation. The increased activity of the middle deltoid and subscapularis muscles after the empty-can exercise can make the empty-can test less specific to the supraspinatus muscle. The empty-can test can induce pain and weakness due to the subscapularis pathology. The full-can test can be used to test the function of the supraspinatus with the least amount of surrounding middle deltoid and subacapularis muslce activity

Technological advancements in orthopaedic surgery have mainly focused on increasing precision during the operation however, there have been few developments in post-operative physiotherapy. We have developed a computer vision program using machine learning that can virtually measure the range of movement of a joint to track progress after surgery. This data can be used by physiotherapists to change patients’ exercise regimes with more objectively and help patients visualise the progress that they have made. In this study, we tested our program's reliability and validity to find a benchmark for future use on patients. We compared 150 shoulder joint angles, measured using a goniometer, and those calculated by our program called ArmTracking in a group of 10 participants (5 males and 5 females). Reliability was tested using adjusted R squared and validity was tested using 95% limits of agreement. Our clinically acceptable limit of agreement was ± 10° for ArmTracking to be used interchangeably with goniometry. ArmTracking showed excellent overall reliability of 97.1% when all shoulder movements were combined but there were lower scores for some movements like shoulder extension at 75.8%. There was moderate validity shown when all shoulder movements were combined at 9.6° overestimation and 18.3° underestimation. Computer vision programs have a great potential to be used in telerehabilitation to collect useful information as patients carry out prescribed exercises at home. However, they need to be trained well for precise joint detections to reduce the range of errors in readings

Introduction. The knee is the most commonly injured joint in sporting accidents, leading to substantial disability, time off work and morbidity (1). Treatment and assessment vary around the UK (2), whilst there remains a limited number of high-quality randomised controlled trials assessing first time, acute soft tissue knee injuries (3,4). As the clinical and financial burden rises (5), vital answers are required to improve prevention, diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation, and delivery of care. In association with the James Lind Alliance, this BASK, BOSTAA and BOA supported prioritising exercise was undertaken over a year. Methods. The James Lind Alliance methodology was followed; a modified nominal group technique was used in the final workshop. An initial survey invited patients and healthcare professionals to submit their uncertainties regarding soft tissue knee injury prevention, diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation, and delivery of care. Seventy-four questions were formulated to encompass common concerns. These were checked against best available evidence. Following the interim survey, 27 questions were taken forward to the final workshop in January 2023, where they were discussed, ranked, and scored in multiple rounds of prioritisation by groups of healthcare professionals, patients, and carers. Results. Over 1000 questions were submitted initially. Twenty-seven were taken forward to the final workshop following the surveys. Nearly half of the responses were from patients/carers. The Top 10 (Figure 1) includes prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation questions, reflecting the concerns of patients, carers, and a wider multidisciplinary team. Conclusion. This validated process has generated an important, wide- ranging Top 10 priorities for future soft tissue knee injury research. These have been submitted to the National Institute for Health and Care Research and are now available for researchers to investigate. The final 27 questions which were taken to the final workshop have also been published on the James Lind Alliance website. Research into these questions will lead to future high-quality research, thus improving patient care & outcomes. For any figures or tables, please contact authors directly

Aims

The aim of this study was to investigate the association between additional rehabilitation at the weekend, and in-hospital mortality and complications in patients with hip fracture who underwent surgery.

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We assessed the value of the Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS) in the prediction of adverse outcome after hip fracture.

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We introduced a self-care pathway for minimally displaced distal radius fractures, which involved the patient being discharged from a Virtual Fracture Clinic (VFC) without a physical review and being provided with written instructions on how to remove their own cast or splint at home, plus advice on exercises and return to function.

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Fractures of the distal radius are common, and form a considerable proportion of the trauma workload. We conducted a study to examine the patterns of injury and treatment for adult patients presenting with distal radius fractures to a major trauma centre serving an urban population.

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Following cast removal for nonoperatively treated distal radius fractures, rehabilitation facilitated by advice leaflet and advice video were compared to a course of face-to-face therapy.

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The aims of this network meta-analysis (NMA) were to examine nonunion rates and functional outcomes following various operative and nonoperative treatments for displaced mid-shaft clavicle fractures.

Exercise deters systemic diseases such as osteoporosis, sarcopenia, diabetes and obesity. Brief daily periods of low intensity vibration (LIV; <0.4g) is anabolic to bone and muscle, an adaptive response achieved in part by biasing mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) fate selection towards forming higher order connective tissues. In the clinic, LIV has protected the musculoskeletal system even under severe challenges such as Crohn Disease, Cerebral Palsy, and end-stage renal disease. Low magnitude mechanical signals also suppress adipogenesis in the mouse, with reductions in subcutaneous and visceral fat. The starkly distinct response of these tissues (augment bone & muscle; suppress fat) suggests that LIV influences the differentiation pathway of MSCs. Extending this diet induced obesity model to 7 months increased total adiposity, accelerated age-related loss of trabecular bone and severely reduced B & T-cell number in the marrow and blood, shifting hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) towards the myeloid lineage. LIV introduced at 4 months rescued bone and B-cells to those levels measured in regular diet controls. These data emphasise why inactivity can promote osteoporosis, diabetes and obesity, and why a sedentary individual is predisposed to disease sequelae. Protection of MSC and HSC populations by mechanical signals may represent a unique strategy by which adiposity can be suppressed, the immune system protected, and a musculoskeletal system enhanced

Introduction. Carpal tunnel syndrome is a common neuropathy of the median nerve. Occupation has been widely examined as a risk factor for the development of carpal tunnel syndrome. The aim of this study was to examine the validity of the United Kingdom (UK) NS-SEC (National Statistics Socioeconomic Classification) in the assessment of correlation between occupation and CTS. Methods. A prospective audit database was collected of patients diagnosed with CTS over a 6 year period. Occupation was assessed using the NS-SEC self coded method, where occupation is classified depending on the type of job and the size of the employer. UK Census data from 2001 was used to compare the occupation profile of the cohort with the regional population. Results. There were 1564 patients diagnosed with CTS over a 6 year period. There were fewer patients with CTS in managerial and professional occupations (OR 0.77 95% CI 0.66 to 0.9), lower supervisory and technical occupations (OR 0.33, 0.23 to 0.45), and semi-routine and routine occupations (OR 0.68, 95% CI 0.58 to 0.79). There was a higher proportion of patients who were self-employed (OR 4.60, 3.93 to 5.30). Discussion. The NS-SeC is superficially attractive to assess occupational differences between a general population and a study group due to the availability of census data. This study has shown a higher proportion of patients having CTS in the self-employed category than in the general population. Such occupational classifications that are based on economic inidicators may not be useful in assessing exposure to risk factors for musculoskeletal disorders. Caution should be exercised in their use and more accurate scores developed that address physical intensity of an occupation

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To clarify the effectiveness of the induced membrane technique (IMT) using beta-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) for reconstruction of segmental bone defects by evaluating clinical and radiological outcomes, and the effect of defect size and operated site on surgical outcomes.

CECS is an exercised induced condition that causes pain, typically in the lower limbs, and is relieved by rest. It is often seen in military personnel significantly restricting their duties. Conservative treatment is rarely successful and patients often require surgical decompression by fasciotomy or fasciectomy. All IMP (intramuscular pressure) tests (n=286) carried out between December 2007 and October 2010 on patients with suspected CECS in the anterior compartment of the lower leg were reviewed. The treatment and outcomes of those referred for surgery were analysed. Pre- and post-surgery military medical grading for leg function was extracted from the medical records system. Independent t-tests compared differences between patients that had surgery or did not. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test compared grades before and after surgery. According to the diagnostic criterion, 80% of patients undergoing IMP testing had CECS. Of these, 179 (68%) patients underwent surgery, 17 (9%) of these were for recurrent symptoms. Almost all decompressions were bilateral (95%). The majority of operations (121) were fasciectomies of the anterior compartment only and were performed by 2 surgeons. The remaining operations (58) were performed by 6 surgeons and were fasciotomies of both anterior and lateral compartments. The mean time from testing to surgery was 24 (median 11) weeks. There were 23 (13%) complications other than recurrence including 16 wound infections, 6 seromas and 1 haematoma. Pre- and post-surgery grading was available for 67% of patients. These patients had significantly better leg function after surgery (Z=−3.67, p<0.001). Of these, 47% improved, 38% showed no improvement and 15% had a poorer outcome had. Those who had a fasciectomy were significantly more likely to improve than those who had a fasciotomy (p=0.023, rho=−1.96). Our results demonstrate that patients generally improve lower limb function following surgical decompression. However, 53% showed no improvement or deteriorated in their medical grading. In addition, there is a high diagnosis rate for CECS following IMP measurement. This may reflect the poor validity of the diagnostic criterion or this could be due to good clinical selection for testing. Furthermore, fasciectomy shows a greater correlation with improved outcome than fasciotomy. There is a need to develop more accurate diagnostic criteria and to evaluate the benefits of standardising surgical technique

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Osseointegrated prosthetic limbs allow better mobility than socket-mounted prosthetics for lower limb amputees. Fractures, however, can occur in the residual limb, but they have rarely been reported. Approximately 2% to 3% of amputees with socket-mounted prostheses may fracture within five years. This is the first study which directly addresses the risks and management of periprosthetic osseointegration fractures in amputees.

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The primary aim of the survey was to map the current provision of simulation training within UK and Republic of Ireland (RoI) trauma and orthopaedic (T&O) specialist training programmes to inform future design of a simulation based-curriculum. The secondary aims were to characterize; the types of simulation offered to trainees by stage of training, the sources of funding for simulation, the barriers to providing simulation in training, and to measure current research activity assessing the educational impact of simulation.

Objectives

A rigorous approach to developing, delivering and documenting rehabilitation within randomised controlled trials of surgical interventions is required to underpin the generation of reliable and usable evidence. This article describes the key processes used to ensure provision of good quality and comparable rehabilitation to all participants of a multi-centre randomised controlled trial comparing surgery with conservative treatment of proximal humeral fractures in adults.

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The best time for definitive orthopaedic care is often unclear in patients with multiple injuries. The objective of this study was make a prospective assessment of the safety of our early appropriate care (EAC) strategy and to evaluate the potential benefit of additional laboratory data to determine readiness for surgery.

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A pragmatic multicentre randomised controlled trial (PROFHER) was conducted in United Kingdom National Health Service (NHS) hospitals to evaluate the clinical effectiveness and cost effectiveness of surgery compared with non-surgical treatment for displaced fractures of the proximal humerus involving the surgical neck in adults.

This study compares the cost-effectiveness of treating dorsally displaced distal radial fractures with a volar locking plate and percutaneous fixation. It was performed from the perspective of the National Health Service (NHS) using data from a single-centre randomised controlled trial. In total 130 patients (18 to 73 years of age) with a dorsally displaced distal radial fracture were randomised to treatment with either a volar locking plate (n = 66) or percutaneous fixation (n = 64). The methodology was according to National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance for technology appraisals. .

There were no significant differences in quality of life scores between groups at any time point in the study. Both groups returned to baseline one year post-operatively.

NHS costs for the plate group were significantly higher (p < 0.001, 95% confidence interval 497 to 930). For an additional £713, fixation with a volar locking plate offered 0.0178 additional quality-adjusted life years in the year after surgery. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) for plate fixation relative to percutaneous fixation at list price was £40 068. When adjusting the prices of the implants for a 20% hospital discount, the ICER was £31 898. Patients who underwent plate fixation did not return to work earlier.

We found no evidence to support the cost-effectiveness, from the perspective of the NHS, of fixation using a volar locking plate over percutaneous fixation for the operative treatment of a dorsally displaced radial fracture.

Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2015;97-B:1264–70.

The Nottingham Hip Fracture Score (NHFS) was developed to assess the risk of death following a fracture of the hip, based on pre-operative patient characteristics. We performed an independent validation of the NHFS, assessed the degree of geographical variation that exists between different units within the United Kingdom and attempted to define a NHFS level that is associated with high risk of mortality.

The NHFS was calculated retrospectively for consecutive patients presenting with a fracture of the hip to two hospitals in England. The observed 30-day mortality for each NHFS cohort was compared with that predicted by the NHFS using the Hosmer–Lemeshow test. The distribution of NHFS in the observed group was compared with data from other hospitals in the United Kingdom. The proportion of patients identified as high risk and the mortality within the high risk group were assessed for groups defined using different thresholds for the NHFS.

In all 1079 hip fractures were included in the analysis, with a mean age of 83 years (60 to 105), 284 (26%) male. Overall 30-day mortality was 7.3%. The NHFS was a significant predictor of 30-day mortality. Statistically significant differences in the distribution of the NHFS were present between different units in England (p < 0.001). A NHFS ≥ 6 appears to be an appropriate cut-point to identify patients at high risk of mortality following a fracture of the hip.

Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2015;96-B:100–3.