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 facial protection of hockey players, shock absorption of running shoes, and shoulder stability.

Research Interest Areas

Darryl E. Barnes, M.D.
Dr. Barnes' research interests include sports and musculoskeletal medicine, ultrasound-guided injections (USGI) and medical device technology.

Diane L. Dahm, M.D.
Dr. Dahm's current research projects include a prospective longitudinal study of bone mineral density about the knee in ACL-injured patients; outcomes of ACL reconstruction and meniscal repair in skeletally immature patients; sports-related activity in patients following total and partial knee arthroplasty; outcome of surgically and non-surgically treated traumatic shoulder instability patients with glenoid rim fractures; and biomechanics of the throwing athlete's shoulder.

Jonathan T. Finnoff, D.O.
Dr. Finnoff's current research projects include a Mayo Clinic Sports Concussion Management,
Intra-rater and inter-rater reliability of the Balance Error Scoring System, Intra-rater and inter-rater reliability of the Modified Balance Error Scoring System, Athletic Performance Improvements through Implementation of a Non-Contact ACL Injury Prevention Program, Mayo Clinic Non-Contact ACL Injury Prevention Program, Accuracy of Ultrasound- versus Fluoroscopically-guided Contrast Controlled Piriformis Muscle Injections: A Cadaveric Study, Test re-test reliability of the Modified Balance Error Scoring System, Validity of the Modified Balance Error Scoring System, Hip Strength and Knee Pain in High School Runners: A Prospective Study, Hip Strength in High School Runners with Patellofemoral Pain, Hip Strength in High School Runners with Iliotibial Band Syndrome, ultrasound-guided injections of PRP for tendinopathy: Ultrasonographic changes post-injection, and efficacy of PRP injections for tendinopathy.

Edward R. Laskowski, M.D.
Dr. Laskowski's current research projects include work on strength training, stability and balance training, joint position sense, the effect of upper body exercise on bone mineral density, and rehabilitation of ankle, shoulder, knee, back, and other musculoskeletal injuries.

Bruce A. Levy, M.D.
Dr. Levy's current research projects include an NIH-funded multicenter randomized clinical trial, examining treatment options for patients with osteoarthritis and meniscal tear. He is also involved in numerous research projects, focusing on complex multiligament knee injury and reconstruction.

Amy L. McIntosh, M.D.
Dr. McIntosh's current research projects include adolescent Blount's disease, risk factors for failure of hemiepiphysiodesis; infantile Blount's disease, Langenskiold stages 1-3, analysis of risk factors for failure; multi-ligamentous knee injuries in children and adolescents less than 18 years of age; medial patellofemoral ligament repair/reefing in patients less than 18 years of age; total hip arthroplasty following conventional treatment for slipped capital femoral epiphysis; and a correlation between ultrasonic and clinical grading systems for clubfeet.

Karen L. Newcomer, M.D.
Dr. Newcomer's current research projects include proprioception in low back pain; rehabilitation of low back pain; cost and outcome of low back pain; outcome of musculoskeletal rehabilitation; and exercise compliance.

Shawn W. O'Driscoll, M.D.
Dr. O'Driscoll has research interests in the elbow, shoulder and cartilage. He has published scientific papers from both clinical and basic laboratory research in sports medicine on elbow biomechanics, kinematics, ligament injuries and reconstruction, fractures and fracture fixation, elbow contractures, and elbow arthroscopy. He has developed and published key provocative clinical signs for establishing the diagnosis of such conditions as ulnar collateral ligament injuries in throwing athletes, biceps tendon tears, and instability.

Current research includes the validation of further provocative clinical signs for establishing the diagnosis of tennis elbow, golfer's elbow, osteochondritis dissecans, chondral injuries, posterior impingement, chronic valgus extension overload, and early arthritis. Clinical research studies also include documentation of the safety of arthroscopic contracture release of the elbow, elbow contracture release in pediatric patients, arthroscopic treatment of osteochondritis dissecans, and arthroscopic osteocapsular arthroplasty for hypertrophic osteoarthritis from chronic overuse such as with weightlifting and pitching. Shoulder research studies include arthroscopic glendoiplasty and osteocapsular arthroplasty for osteoarthritis in athletic and patients, osteolysis of the distal clavicle, and labral / SLAP tears. The dynamic labral shear test, conceived by Dr. O'Driscoll to diagnose SLAP tears and internal impingement, is being validated by a clinical study.

Laboratory research includes biomechanics of the elbow and shoulder and cartilage repair techniques.

Aynsley M. Smith, R.N., Ph.D.
Dr. Smith's current research projects include the relationship between psychologic, physiologic, and physical factors and performers in situations of criticality ("yips" in golfers, ice hockey goalies, figure skaters, intensive care nurses, interventional cardiologists, and musicians); epidemiology of injuries (hockey); and issues in children and youth sport.

Jay Smith, M.D.
Dr. Smith's current research projects include the use of musculoskeletal ultrasound to diagnose and treat sports and musculoskeletal injuries, application of platelet rich plasma for the treatment of soft tissue disorders, golf performance and rehabilitation, shoulder biomechanics, and shoulder rehabilitation.

Scott P. Steinmann, M.D.
Dr. Steinmann is interested in clinical and biomechanical research in shoulder, elbow and hand surgery. He has a special interest in arthroscopy and fractures.

Michael J. Stuart, M.D.
Dr. Stuart's current research projects include: epidemiology of ice hockey injuries, knee dislocation, primary and revision anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction, osteochondritis dissecans, arthroscopy for painful total knee arthroplasty, X3 polyethylene in total knee arthroplasty.

Jeffrey M. Thompson, M.D.
Dr. Thompson's current research projects include investigating the role of abnormal patterns of activation in muscle pain, imaging of muscle stiffness in regional muscle pain, effects of manual medicine techniques on muscle stiffness, treatment of functional movement disorders.

Recent Research

The Sports Medicine Center staff conduct numerous studies into physical and psychological issues affecting recreational, amateur, and professional athletes. Some current areas of research interest include:

• The effect of motivational videotapes on medical costs and caregivers' time in acute and chronic low back pain
• Bone mineral density in women athletes as a function of complete anterior cruciate ligament tear and type of intervention
• The effect of foot orthoses on posterior tibialis, tibialis anterior, and peroneus longus muscle electromyographic activity during walking and running
• Shock absorption attenuation of common athletic running shoes
• Effect of temperature on shock absorption characteristics of common running shoes
• An in-depth assessment of the "yips" phenomenon of a male golfer
• The physical and psychosocial predictors of outcome in ACL reconstruction
• The reliability of standing tibiocalcaneal (hindfoot) measurements: phase II
• Optimizing scapular stabilizer muscle activity
• Effect of shoulder protraction on isometric and isokinetic shoulder rotation strength
• Development of a computer-based musculoskeletal physical examination skills curriculum
• Psychophysiologic responses of interventional cardiologists in autonomous and teaching roles
• Assessment of upper limb exercise like Nordic walking on bone mineral density