Blog
From the specialist's desk
Evidence-based articles by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Oğuz Yüksel: sports injuries, injury prevention, safe return to sport, athlete health, and the health effects of exercise.
Sports Medicine · FeaturedPreventing sports injuries and safe return to sport
A significant portion of sports injuries are preventable. The three pillars of evidence-based prevention and the foundations of safe return with the principle of 'preparation, not time.'
Sports medicine articles
Evidence-based, short-answer responses to frequently asked questions.
Do you need surgery for a meniscus tear?
For degenerative meniscus tears the first-line approach is usually exercise-based treatment; the exceptions that require surgery and the decision process — from a sports medicine perspective.
KneeMy MRI report says there's a tear but I have no pain (or very little) — what does it mean?
An MRI finding and the source of pain are not the same thing: meniscal and cartilage findings are also seen in people without pain. How the report should be interpreted together with history and examination.
Return to SportReturn to sport after injury: not the calendar, but the tests
The decision to return to sport is not made by asking 'how many months have passed'; it is made by evaluating pain control, the strength balance of the two legs, sport-specific tests, and psychological readiness together. A criteria-based approach illustrated with the ACL example.
AnkleAnkle sprain: what to do in the first days, and when is an X-ray needed?
The current PEACE & LOVE approach, the Ottawa ankle rules, and balance exercises that prevent re-spraining — the three critical stages of a sprain in one guide.
TendonAchilles tendinopathy: why not 'tendinitis', and why is exercise the first-line treatment?
In chronic Achilles pain the correct name is tendinopathy; the strongest evidence is for progressive tendon-loading exercise. The evidence status of PRP, who is affected, and the treatment framework.
KneeRunner's knee (patellofemoral pain): why must the hip be trained, not just the knee?
In pain at the front of the kneecap the strongest evidence is for hip + knee strengthening; increasing running cadence by 5–10 percent reduces knee load. The diagnosis is clinical; routine MRI is not needed.
Running and LoadIs the "10 percent rule" in running correct? The real logic of load management
The 10 percent rule did not reduce injuries in a randomized trial; but the principle of avoiding sudden load spikes is sound. Instead of a rigid threshold, manage load with gradual progression, strength, and pain monitoring.
Exercise and HealthDoes exercise protect the brain? The aging brain, memory, and physical activity
Regular physical activity is associated with reduced cognitive decline and dementia risk; there is a biologically plausible mechanism via the hippocampus and BDNF. World Health Organization recommendations and the honest limits of the evidence.
PreventionHow should you warm up before sport? The science of injury-reducing warm-ups
Structured neuromuscular warm-ups (such as FIFA 11+) markedly reduce injuries. Dynamic warm-up instead of static stretching; the four phases of warming up and how much for whom.
Exercise and HealthStrength training: the health dose for every age and why it matters
Two days of strength training per week; associated with lower mortality, disease, and fall risk. The World Health Organization recommendation, balance in older age, a safe start, and the honest limits of the evidence.
KneeACL tear: is surgery necessary? The conservative vs surgical decision
Not every anterior cruciate ligament tear needs immediate surgery. Randomized trials show that starting with structured rehabilitation is safe for most patients. When is surgery needed?
Muscle InjuryHamstring (back-of-thigh) injury: recovery and safe return to sport
In a hamstring strain the center of recovery is eccentric strengthening; the Nordic exercise is effective in both treatment and prevention. Return-to-sport criteria and the high risk of recurrence.
TreatmentPRP and injection treatments: when do they work, and when don't they?
PRP is not a cure for every pain. Its most reasonable use is chronic tennis elbow; no benefit has been shown in Achilles/patellar tendinopathy or muscle injury. The short-term role and risks of corticosteroids.
FootPlantar fasciitis (heel pain): why does it happen, how does it resolve?
The most common cause of heel pain on the first steps in the morning is plantar fasciitis. With stretching, load management, and high-load strengthening, most cases resolve conservatively. The truth about heel spurs and the recovery timeline.
KneeDoes exercise help knee osteoarthritis?
Exercise is the first-line treatment for knee osteoarthritis, coming before medication and surgery. The 'exercise wears out the joint' misconception, weight management, the truth about running, and the limited role of injections.
TendonPatellar tendinopathy (jumper's knee): why does it happen, how is it treated?
For tendon pain below the kneecap (jumper's knee), the core treatment is progressive tendon loading. Rapid pain control with isometrics, load management, and the limited role of PRP/surgery.
Sports CardiologySudden cardiac death in athletes and preparticipation screening: what to know
Sudden cardiac death in young athletes is rare but preventable. Warning signs, the history–examination–ECG debate, and the vital importance of an emergency action plan with a pitch-side AED.
Youth AthleteThe child and young athlete: early specialization, growth-phase injuries, and safe sport
Early single-sport focus increases the risk of overuse and burnout; multi-sport participation is recommended. Osgood-Schlatter/Sever, growth-phase load management, and the safety of strength training in children.
ShoulderShoulder impingement syndrome: why the name is changing, and why exercise comes first
The term 'shoulder impingement' is being questioned in current medicine; the correct framing is rotator cuff related shoulder pain. Randomized trials showed impingement surgery is no better than placebo; first-line treatment is exercise. The place of cortisone and shockwave therapy.
ShoulderRotator cuff tear: surgery or exercise?
In age-related (degenerative) rotator cuff tears, starting with exercise is the evidence-based first option; in randomized trials it gives results similar to surgery. Situations where surgery comes to the fore: acute traumatic full-thickness tear and the young patient.
ShoulderRecurrent shoulder dislocation: what happens after the first dislocation, and when does surgery come up?
In young and active people the risk of recurrence after a first shoulder dislocation is high. The surgery–conservative debate for the first dislocation, a plain account of the Bankart and Latarjet operations, the importance of bone loss, sling duration, and return to sport.
ShoulderFrozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis): does it resolve on its own, and what helps in treatment?
Frozen shoulder lasts a long time in most people, and the assumption that it 'resolves completely on its own' is not supported by evidence. The evidence-based place of early intra-articular cortisone injection, exercise, hydrodilatation, and surgery.
ElbowTennis elbow: why is cortisone a trap, and why is wait-and-see reasonable?
Tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis) is mostly seen in people who do not play tennis, and most cases resolve on their own within a year. The paradox of cortisone injection being good short-term but bad long-term, the place of exercise, and the evidence status of other treatments.
ElbowGolfer's elbow (medial epicondylitis): how it differs from tennis elbow and the state of the evidence for treatment
Tendon pain on the inner side of the elbow is golfer's elbow; it is less common than tennis elbow. It can be confused with the ulnar nerve and the medial collateral ligament, and the evidence for treatment is weaker than for the lateral side.
NeckNeck pain and posture: for a desk worker, is bad posture really to blame?
Mechanical neck pain is very common; but the assumption that 'bad posture and text neck are the main cause' is not as supported by evidence as thought. The strongest evidence is for neck-shoulder strengthening exercise; imaging is unnecessary in most cases.
NeckWhiplash neck injury: collar or movement? What does the evidence say?
In a sudden neck strain after a traffic accident or sport, a collar and bed rest do not aid recovery; early movement and a return to normal life are the evidence-based path. When is an X-ray needed, and in whom does pain become chronic?
ConcussionConcussion in sport: how is it recognized, when is the athlete removed from play, and how should return to sport go?
Concussion occurs even without loss of consciousness. The 'if in doubt, sit them out' principle, the ban on same-day return to play, the gradual return-to-school and return-to-sport steps, and current evidence that early light exercise speeds recovery.
HipAthletic groin pain: correct diagnosis in hip-groin pain, the power of exercise, and the surgery decision
The groin pain that plagues footballers is not a single disease. The Doha classification, the evidence for adductor strengthening (the Copenhagen exercise), the surgery–physiotherapy comparison in femoroacetabular impingement, and distinguishing hernia.
Low BackDo you need an MRI for low back pain? Imaging, movement and exercise
Most low back pain needs no MRI and bed rest is not advised. The evidence points to staying active and exercise. When is imaging needed, and what are the red flags?
Running and LoadWhat is a stress fracture? Bone stress injury signs and return
A sudden jump in load and low energy availability set the stage for bone stress injury. Warning signs, high-risk sites, the role of MRI and gradual return-to-load principles.
Athlete HealthWhat is RED-S? Relative energy deficiency in sport, signs and risks
RED-S is when under-fuelling relative to energy expenditure harms health and performance. How it differs from the old triad, its signs, who gets it and the right approach.
RecoveryDelayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS): why it happens and how to recover
The soreness that arrives a day or two after training is not from lactic acid but from micro-damage and repair after unfamiliar, eccentric loading. What the evidence says about recovery and when soreness is a warning sign.
RecoveryDo ice baths work? The evidence and risks of cold water immersion
Cold water immersion can modestly improve short-term soreness and perceived recovery, but it may blunt muscle and strength gains after regular resistance training. When it is a tactical tool and when to avoid it.
Running and LoadShin splints (medial tibial stress syndrome): why they happen and how they differ from a stress fracture
Running-related inner shin pain (medial tibial stress syndrome) usually follows a sudden load increase. Diffuse tenderness distinguishes it from the point tenderness of a stress fracture. Management, cadence and return principles.
Muscle InjuryWhy do muscle cramps happen in exercise? Salt or fatigue?
Exercise cramps were long blamed on 'salt/fluid loss.' Current evidence points more to muscle fatigue and altered nerve control. What raises the risk, and what actually helps?
Athlete HealthHow does sleep affect athletes? Performance and injury risk
Short sleep is linked to higher injury rates in young athletes; extending sleep improved performance in basketball players. Why is sleep called the 'cheapest recovery tool'?
Athlete HealthWhat is overtraining syndrome? Why performance drops and how to recover
An unexplained, weeks-long drop in performance may signal overtraining syndrome. How it differs from overreaching, why there is no single diagnostic test, and the path to recovery.
KneeIs joint cracking (crepitus) harmful? Does knuckle cracking cause arthritis?
Painless joint cracking is usually harmless. The knuckle-cracking arthritis myth, knee crepitus and fear of osteoarthritis, and when to see a doctor.