All Articles by Lindsey Barton Straus, JD

Children and adolescents who undergo early surgical reconstruction after suffering a complete tear of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) have much better outcomes than those who delay surgery or never have surgery at all, says a new study. Early ACL reconstruction is strongly recommended, particularly for active young athletes who wish to maintain higher levels of physical activity.

A greater proportion of baseline neurocognitive test results for pre-high school athletes are invalid, particularly when they are tested in large group setting. The results are a warning, say experts, that computerized baseline testing programs for younger athletes will require even greater vigilance, caution, individualized attention, and administrative resources than testing among older athletes.

The use of baseline and postconcussion computerized neurocognitive testing has become an increasingly common practice in the assessment and management of concussions at the college, high school, and even youth level. But, as three new studies show, obtaining baseline test results reflecting a valid assessment of an athlete's "true" baseline ability needed for comparison to postinjury performance is fraught with challenges.

Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries do not disproportionately affect female athletes, occur more often from player-to-player contact, and far more frequently in competition than practice than previously believed, finds a surprising and important new study.

While computerized neuropsychological testing has become increasingly popular in concussion management in recent years, its use, particularly the need for baseline NP testing, remains controversial and, if anything, the trend appears to be away from recommending routine testing of all athletes, or even all athletes in contact or collision sports with a high risk of concussion.

Young athletes in the U.S. face a "culture of resistance" to reporting when they might have a concussion and to complying with treatment plans, which could endanger their well-being, says a new report from the Institute of Medicine and National Research Council.

A growing body of evidence suggests that psychological factors play an important role in determining whether an athlete makes a successful return to sport following injury, finds a new study.

Adolescent athletes with a history of multiple concussions perform just as well on brief computerized tests of neurocognitive function than those without such history, although those who a history of two or more concussions self-reported more concussion symptoms, says a new study.

Helping a student-athlete make a successful return to learning after a concussion is just as important as ensuring their safe return to sports, and requires a team approach involving parents, health care professionals, and schools, says the American Academy of Pediatrics in an important new clinical report.