Welcome to our third quarter recap for Current Sports Medicine Reports (CSMR). Over the past several months, our journal has presented critical research, narrative reviews and provocative case reports designed to directly inform your clinical practice and optimize athlete care. Below, I highlight the standout, high-impact articles and key findings from July through October 2026 that are shaping contemporary sports medicine.
July 2026
Most Influential Article: Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators: A Review of Their Therapeutic Promise and Concerns of Misuse (Dillon R. Harris, MS, et al.)
- The Content & Impact: This review offers a comprehensive analysis of Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators (SARMs), contrasting their investigational therapeutic applications (e.g., muscle-wasting disorders) with the growing trend of unauthorized use and performance-enhancing drug misuse among clinical and athletic populations.
- Primary Finding for Patient Care: Clinicians must maintain a high index of suspicion for hidden SARM use in athletes presenting with unexplained hepatic toxicity, dyslipidemia, or hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis suppression, as these compounds are frequently adulterated and marketed online without regulatory safety oversight.
Additional highlights:
- Motor Proficiency in Youth: The Forgotten Motor Proficiency Barrier by Avery D. Faigenbaum, EdD, et al., emphasizes that underlying deficits in fundamental motor skills act as a rate-limiting step for lifelong physical activity, urging practitioners to evaluate movement quality alongside athletic volume.
- Master Athlete Supplementation: Chantal Nguyen, MD, et al., break down the efficacy and safety profile of dietary supplementation in older adults, offering evidence-based recommendations tailored to the aging neuromuscular system.
- Physical Activity Metrics: Javier Leal Martin, PhD, et al., re-evaluate the validity and clinical limitations of Metabolic Equivalents (METs) across diverse age groups and fitness levels.
August 2026
Most Influential Article: Cold Weather Injuries in Sports Medicine (Nicholas Thoma, DO, et al.)
- The Content & Impact: A timely CAQ Review detailing the pathophysiology, risk stratification, field assessment, and acute management protocols for peripheral cold injuries (frostbite, non-freezing cold injury) and systemic hypothermia across winter and endurance sports.
- Primary Finding for Patient Care: Early field rewarming strategies must prioritize accurate core temperature monitoring over surface symptoms, and rapid rewarming techniques—combined with appropriate anti-inflammatory protocols—are critical to preserving viability in frostbitten tissue and preventing chronic neuropathic sequelae.
Additional Highlights:
- Artificial Intelligence in Coaching: Susannah L. Reiner, PhD, et al., (https://www.ovid.com/jnls/acsm-csmr/fulltext/10.1249/jsr.0000000000001357~artificial-intelligence-in-exercise-programming-and-coaching) analyze the emerging role of AI in exercise prescription, identifying key ethical boundaries, data privacy concerns, and areas where algorithmic programming lacks human clinical oversight.
- Exercise is Medicine® Active Aging: Paige Denison, BS, et al., (https://www.ovid.com/jnls/acsm-csmr/fulltext/10.1249/jsr.0000000000001358~the-exercise-is-medicine-active-aging-initiative-aligning) outline strategies for bridging primary healthcare systems, certified exercise professionals, and community resources to scale physical activity interventions for senior populations.
September 2026
Most Influential Article: UCL Injuries in Throwing Athletes: Diagnosis, Management, and Treatment – An Evidence-Based Review (Daniel Kiehl, DO, et al.)
- The Content & Impact: An up-to-date, evidence-based review covering clinical examination techniques, advanced imaging nuances, dynamic ultrasound utility, and the decision matrix between conservative rehabilitation, UCL repair with internal bracing, and traditional reconstruction (Tommy John surgery).
- Primary Finding for Patient Care: Conservative management and biological augmentation strategies yield high return-to-play rates in partial-thickness or proximal tears, whereas surgical selection must strictly align with the athlete’s sport-specific demands, elbow valgus laxity, and tissue quality.
Additional Highlights:
- Non-Surgical ACL Management: A notable case report by James Frazier, DO, et al., explores the application of a novel Cross Bracing Protocol to facilitate non-surgical structural healing of an acute ACL rupture in a collegiate soccer athlete.
- Pediatric Foot & Ankle: Gregory D. Bentz Jr., MD, et al., illustrate the immediate clinical utility of Point-of-Care Ultrasound (POCUS) in diagnosing acute midfoot pathology in the rapidly growing pickleball demographic.
- Nutritional Recovery: Elizabeth G. Conlon, MD, et al., summarize actionable nutritional paradigms for soft tissue and bone healing during post-injury immobilization and rehabilitation phases.
October 2026
Most Influential Article: Estrogen and Lysyl Oxidase: How Crosslink Changes Increase Female Athlete ACL Injury Risk (Maggie Head, BA, MS and John Nyland, EdD)
- The Content & Impact: This paper examines the biochemical mechanisms by which fluctuations in systemic estrogen impair lysyl oxidase activity, altering collagen cross-linking within the anterior cruciate ligament and predisposing female athletes to dynamic ligamentous laxity.
- Primary Finding for Patient Care: Hormonally driven collagen laxity provides a biological target for risk mitigation; sports medicine teams should pair neuromuscular control training with targeted cycle-aware load management to counteract periods of heightened connective tissue vulnerability.
Additional Highlights:
- Pediatric Growth Plate Injuries: Cameron Chalmers, DO, et al., deliver a practical CAQ Review on apophysitis, offering diagnostic criteria and return-to-play guidelines for traction apophysitides across major pediatric anatomical sites.
- Catastrophic Mountain Biking Trauma: Meredith Ehn, DO, DPT, et al., analyze inpatient rehabilitation outcomes following severe mountain biking injuries, providing insights into long-term functional recovery and safety equipment considerations.
I trust these selected articles and reviews serve as valuable tools for your clinical decision-making, athlete management, and ongoing education. Thank you for your continued dedication to advancing the science and practice of sports medicine.
Kevin R. Vincent, MD, PhD, FACSM, is a highly respected leader in sports medicine, musculoskeletal health, and rehabilitation, bringing more than two decades of expertise to The Orthopaedic Institute (TOI). As the founder of Florida’s most established and comprehensive Running Medicine Clinic, Dr. Vincent has earned national and international recognition for his work in advancing the performance, health, and safety of runners of all ages and skill levels. His clinical interests include running medicine and sports performance, musculoskeletal health and overuse injury prevention, and strength training and biomechanics. With a passion for evidence-based care, Dr. Vincent has published extensively in the areas of sports medicine, resistance exercise, sports nutrition, and biomechanics. He is also an in-demand speaker, frequently presenting at national and international conferences on running medicine and injury prevention. Dr. Vincent has been a member of ACSM since 1992 and has served as an ACSM vice president and currently serves as the editor-in-chief of Current Sports Medicine Reports and on ACSM’s Clinical Sports Medicine Leadership Committee and ACSM’s Foundation Board.
