Sports Medicine Center in Minnesota

Research

The research mission of the Sports Medicine Center is to investigate aspects of sports injury evaluation, treatment, and prevention in order to provide optimal treatment to those involved in sports or fitness related activities. Recent work has addressed such subjects as protection of hockey players' faces, shoulder stability and shock absorption of running shoes.

Recent Research

The Sports Medicine Center staff conducts numerous studies into physical and psychological issues affecting recreational, amateur and professional athletes. Recent or current research has addressed:

• A study of the "yips" phenomenon: an adult mini-putting tournament
• Physical psychosocial predictors of outcome in anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction
• The effects of a motorized flywheel on skating crossovers on ice (a simulation of on-ice performance)
• A survey and case follow-up of neck lacerations caused by skate blades
• A prospective survey analysis of concussion knowledge in youth hockey and youth basketball players
• A prospective exploratory analysis of concussion in junior A level hockey players to develop a model for care
• Assessment of adolescent pain medication management and prescription appropriateness
• Use of ultrasound in the diagnosis and treatment of musculoskeletal sports injuries
• Use of platelet-rich plasma in the treatment of chronic tendinopathies
• Reliability of balance testing in concussion assessment
• Hockey studies: synthesis of world literature regarding injuries, flywheel studies, facial protection studies, and other research
• Effects of Pilates exercise after breast cancer surgery