Soccer World Cup 2010: Evaluation of portable ultrasonography for diagnosing musculoskeletal injuries

Abstract Aim A prompt and accurate assessment of the severity of musculoskeletal injuries sustained by elite athletes is crucial, to determine whether the diagnosis requires further evaluation at a hospital facility and to predict the time to recovery. The objective is to evaluate the usefulness of portable ultrasonography in evaluating musculoskeletal injuries sustained by elite athletes (Observational study; 2010 Soccer World Cup training camps and base camp, ten locations in six countries). Methods Participants: Athletes selected to play in the Cameroon soccer team; there were 30 athletes for the 24-day training camp period (4 matches) and 23 athletes for the subsequent 18-day tournament period (3 matches). Interventions Portable ultrasonography assessment of musculoskeletal injuries sustained by the athletes during training or competition. A single physician used an Esaote MyLab™Five with a 7.5-12 MHz linear probe for all evaluations. Main outcome measures Number of ultrasonography assessment of musculoskeletal injuries during a single team tournament during a world cup. Results Over the 42-day study period, 15 ultrasound scans were performed to assess musculoskeletal symptoms that started during training or competing. Hospital referral for further evaluation was not required for any of these 15 injuries. There were 5 injuries to ligaments (lateral collateral ligament in ankle sprains, medial collateral ligament in a knee sprain, and medial collateral ligament in a sprain of the metatarsophalangeal joint of a goal keeper), 8 injuries to muscles, and 2 athletes with tendon pain. Conclusion A portable high-performance ultrasound machine can be used to obtain a rapid and accurate assessment of musculoskeletal injuries sustained by elite soccer players participating in a major international event that requires frequent traveling. Portable ultrasonography decreases the need for traveling to hospitals to obtain imaging studies.