Current Sports Medicine Reports

We open this issue with a Pearls and Pitfalls contribution from E. Randy Eichner, MD, FACSM, examining the urgent issue of accelerating heat risks in sport. This piece emphasizes that proactive, evidence-based heat acclimatization and monitoring protocols must be integrated into athletic settings before environmental conditions reach critical thresholds. Coleman Strosahl, MD, also provides this month’s Web Alert, highlighting valuable digital tools to keep clinicians updated on emerging sports medicine literature.

Our section articles feature clinical insights across a spectrum of sports and pathologies:

• Youth Hockey Injury Patterns: Devan Sheffield, DO and Mark F. Riederer, MD, FACSM, review injury profiles and prevention techniques amid the sport’s rapid expansion. For sports medicine providers, understanding these acute and overuse injury trends aids in implementing targeted equipment guidelines and body-checking education to prevent long-term joint and head trauma in young athletes.
• Lower Extremity Neuropathies: Derek C. Stokes, MD and Daniel M. Cushman, MD, outline practical diagnostic and management considerations for nerve entrapments and neuropathies in athletes. Early identification of peripheral nerve dysfunction allows clinicians to distinguish neurogenic symptoms from primary musculoskeletal strain, guiding targeted conservative management and avoiding unnecessary procedures or delayed return to play.
• Boxing Medicine Beyond the Ringside: Alex Houser, DO, et al. explore comprehensive medical care for combat athletes outside the immediate competition window. This work broadens the clinician’s role to encompass systemic health monitoring, chronic traumatic brain injury mitigation, and tailored post-bout recovery protocols essential for long-term athlete safety.
• PRP for Partial UCL Tears: Adam Fogel, BS, et al. examine the therapeutic evidence surrounding platelet-rich plasma injections for partial ulnar collateral ligament injuries of the elbow. This review helps sports medicine specialists evaluate non-surgical biologic options, optimizing conservative treatment algorithms for overhead athletes seeking joint preservation and accelerated return to competition.
• Pickleball Injuries in Adults: Davis Witt, MD, et al. present a narrative review on injury trends in pickleball as participation surges nationwide. Recognized clinical patterns empower providers to anticipate kinetic chain overuses and acute lower-extremity or upper-extremity injuries in recreationally competitive and aging athletes, facilitating proactive rehabilitation and injury prevention education.

Together, these articles provide practical, evidence-informed guidance designed to refine clinical decision-making, enhance injury prevention strategies, and elevate the quality of care provided to active individuals at every competitive level.

Thank you for your continued dedication to sports medicine and for reading Current Sports Medicine Reports.

Sincerely,

Kevin R. Vincent, MD, PhD, FACSM
Editor-in-Chief
Current Sports Medicine Reports