Clinical Research Directory

Changing Youth Narratives on Firearm Violence ("Run It Up") Intervention

The Run It Up project is an experimental, theory-driven effort to address a specific connection between structural factors, youth identity development, and violence, where structural factors in some communities may limit adolescent beliefs about potential life-trajectories ("possible selves"), and foreground potential trajectories that include violence as integral. The intervention seeks to counter that dynamic by: 1) identifying alternative, non-violent identity trajectories that have attributes meaningful for youth and actualizing those trajectories through a community support structure; and 2) developing and disseminating multiple media products featuring narratives about these alternative trajectories. The goal is to change the calculation of possible selves for adolescents in the identity development stage through the introduction, and actualization, of desirable, tangible trajectories that do not involve violence or pro-violence norms, resulting in a reduction of youth involvement in firearm violence. The intervention and research is being conducted through a partnership between the George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health and the Washington, DC community of Washington Highlands, and is funded through a grant from the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD). In the first phase, formative research was completed to identify attributes and alternative non-violent trajectories, determine intervention elements, develop an intervention "brand" representing the attributes, develop a baseline-follow-up survey measuring theoretical mediators/moderators, outcomes, and other potential influencing factors, and identify community data to be used for a time-series analysis. Now in the second phase, the baseline data from a sample of community youth and parents/guardians are currently being collected prior to implementing the intervention. Evaluation is a two group, quasi-experimental community cohort design using survey and community-level data.

Design and Validation of a Personalized Preventive System for Adolescents Based on Biological Maturity, Body Composition, and Musculoskeletal Function.

This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a personalized preventive physiotherapy and exercise program based on biological maturation status in adolescents aged 14 to 15 years. During adolescence, rapid growth and differences in biological maturation can increase the risk of musculoskeletal imbalances, pain, and injuries, especially in physically active youth. However, most preventive programs are designed according to chronological age rather than biological development. Participants will be assessed using non-invasive methods to determine biological maturation, body composition, and musculoskeletal function, including strength, balance, mobility, and postural control. Based on these assessments, participants in the intervention group will receive a 12-week individualized preventive physiotherapy program adapted to their maturation stage, while the control group will continue with their usual school or sports activities without structured intervention. The study will compare changes in musculoskeletal function, body composition, pain perception, and lifestyle-related variables between baseline and post-intervention assessments. The results are expected to provide evidence for a maturation-based preventive approach that can be applied in clinical, school, and sports settings to reduce injury risk and improve musculoskeletal health in adolescents.

Nordic Throwing Shoulder Project (NTS - Project)

As a part of the Olympic program and with 150 countries in the international Handball Federation team handball has become a worldwide popular sport. Unfortunately, a large number of different types injuries have been reported among team handball players, and shoulder pain has some of the biggest incidence. In handball 44-75% of the athletes had a history of shoulder pain and a weekly prevalence of shoulder problems in 28% of the athletes. Shoulder pain has been reported to have an impact on the athletes' training activities, performance, and daily life. Several studies have established risk factors for shoulder injuries among overhead athletes, with a focus on the range of motion in glenohumeral joint (ROM), shoulder strength and scapula control. Injury occurrence results from a combination of possessing these different risk and the amount of throwing. Thereby training overhead sports must be considered a primary risk factor for shoulder injury. However, several studies have performed kinematics analysis of different throws techniques commonly used in team handball. But no studies havn't investigated kinematics and kinetics of different throwing techniques in relation to team handball players and the development of shoulder pain, and if a throwing technique or a wrong throwing technique stresses the shoulder joint more than other throwing techniques. In baseball it was found that youth pitchers throwing with a curveball was associated with a 52% increased risk of shoulder pain and the slider was associated with an 86% increased risk of elbow pain, and there was a significant association between number of throws and rate of shoulder pain. Two types of wind-ups are used in handball, and those different wind-ups also changed the throwing kinematics and throwing performance. Investigators found that the pelvis rotation was more important in the throw with the circular wind-up than in the whip-like wind up. In addition, the total throwing time was longer with the circular wind up. This could result in less stress and forces on the shoulder joint when compared with the whip like to reach the same performances. The questions arises whether the used throwing techniques of the handball players during training and matches are a risk factor for shoulder pain and if some throwing techniques cause bigger risk than other throwing techniques as the players could put more force on the shoulder and elbow joint.