The prime goal of clinical research is to inform and direct practice, although a general practitioner friend of mine insists that “bloody academics” do nothing worthwhile for the world in general or for clinicians specifically. Despite that opinion, research has consistently improved practice across all disciplines in sports medicine.

There are, however, instances where clinical practice has steamed ahead of research knowledge. Experienced practitioners will recall the thousands of dollars spent on isokinetic machines in the 1980s and note that only slightly less is currently being spent on Pilates-based exercise machines. Both isokinetic training and Pilates exercise are excellent modes of rehabilitation, and the equipment can provide very positive gains. However, claims for the effectiveness of these modalities have been touted well beyond what the research has shown.

There has been excellent and ongoing research into the rehabilitation of …