Competitive figure skating today is much less about artistry and much more about athleticism than in years past. Training is longer and harder than ever, while the classic unforgiving skate boot design has remained essentially unchanged. And lower extremity injuries in skaters are on the rise. By Nathan W. Saunders, MA, and Steven T. Devor, PhD, ...

One of the best things about visiting Negril, Jamaica, is taking a yoga class from Fanette Johnson. And one of the first things Fanette will do in class is have you sit cross-legged on your mat, then have you re-cross your legs in the manner that feels less natural. Jordana Bieze Foster, Editor

Arthrodesis remains effective for most patients with end-stage hallux rigidus, but finding an alternative that allows more range of motion can be challenging. Faced with disappointing arthroplasty outcomes, surgeons have had to get creative. By Cary Groner

In patients with spastic hemiplegic CP, practitioners and researchers tend to focus primarily on the hemiplegic limb. But hemiplegia also leads to impairments in the uninvolved limb, which are important to consider when designing a therapeutic approach. By Julieanne P. Sees, DO, and Freeman Miller, MD

Excessive rotational traction that occurs at the interface between the shoe and the playing surface, as well as shoe properties such as rotational stiffness, may have the potential to influence the high incidence of lower extremity injuries in athletes. By Feng Wei, PhD, and Eric G. Meyer, PhD

This two-part series examines trends and techniques in materials development and fabrication. This second installation focuses on technological advances that are likely to affect the structural properties and manufac­­ture of in-shoe foot orthoses. By Cary Groner

Obese patients are more likely than nonobese individuals to sustain an ankle fracture, particularly a severe ankle fracture. Contributing factors may include increased torque on the ankle or low bone mineral density relative to body weight. By Christy King, DPM, AACFAS

A lack of confidence and fear of reinjury after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction is keeping some athletes from returning to play, according to several abstracts presented last month at the American Physical Therapy Association’s 2013 Combined Sections Meeting (CSM) in San Diego.

A recent study done at the University of Melbourne in Australia supports the theory that, in runners with Achilles tendinopathy (AT), altered neuromotor recruitment patterns of the triceps surae create differential intratendinous loads that lead to pathology.

Ankle bracing and taping have a limited ability to restrict ankle range of motion (ROM) and improve proprioceptive capability under soccer-specific conditions, according to a small study e-published by the Journal of Sport Rehabilitation in January.

Instant total contact casts (iTCCs), which add length and weight to the involved leg, perturb balance in healthy individuals and could increase fall risks in the already–balanced challenged population of individuals with diabetic peripheral neuropathy.

A study e-published February 7 by Diabetes/Metabolism Research and Reviews found that time to diabetic foot ulcer healing was dependent on location, increasing progressively from toe to midfoot to heel, but did not differ between plantar and nonplantar ulcers.

Type 2 diabetes affects gait parameters in older adults, and impaired cognition further reduces performance, according to investigators from Ghent University in Belgium who studied 101 patients living in community and residential care settings.

Allied Plastic Supply offers Clearflex, a soft inner liner material that can be thermo-formed and heat-gun molded, has good clarity, and bonds well to itself. Held in place in an ankle foot orthosis (AFO) using a small piece of self-adhesive ...

Ottobock announces the SACH+prosthetic foot, a new generation of the traditional SACH (Solid Ankle Cushion Heel) foot. The new SACH+ foot is designed for users at mobility levels K1 and K2, with a durable, robust design featuring a glass-fiber-reinforced contoured ...

Rescue Essentials offers the STS Slishman Traction Splint, a fully adjustable traction splint for patients with suspected femoral fractures. The light, compact splint is designed to apply femoral traction to relieve pain and reduce hemorrhage and the possibility of further ...

Hersco offers the new DLA (durable, lightweight, antimicrobial) Partial Foot Prosthesis (PFP). The DLA PFP combines a thin dynamic-carbon ankle foot orthosis (AFO) and a slightly dorsiflexed socket-type foot orthotic device with toe-filler to assist with rehabilitation after partial foot ...

Anatomical Concepts offers a new multifunctional prefabricated knee-ankle foot orthosis (KAFO) system for functional or fracture applications in the rehabilitation or orthopedic settings. The KAFO system consists of the Pentagon knee orthosis and the Rapo AFO. The Pentagon is a ...

The RecoveryPump delivers medical grade compression to help reduce fatigue, soreness, and inflammation. Intermittent pneumatic compression works with the body to increase blood circulation and achieve in one to two hours the muscle recovery that would take the body 12 ...

MVI Footcare, a division of Med-Vet International, is the exclusive national distributor of Nu Wave Antibacterial and Antifungal Nail Enamel. Used at home or taken to a nail salon, the Nu Wave products facilitate nail care that may also establish ...

Spenco Medical Corporation offers the Cold Snap, a winterized edition of its popular Siesta Total Support Footwear line. The winter slip-on features a thicker tread for colder conditions and fleece trim for a warmer appearance. Like the Siesta, the Cold ...

Arizona AFO offers a new custom configured, cost-effective 3D laser imaging technology to replace traditional plaster casting. The ScanCast 3D combines two high speed imaging chips and two imaging lasers in a unified, precalibrated scanning mechanism that scans the foot ...

Elite Orthopaedics introduces the Deluxe Lace Up Ankle Brace for patients of podiatrists, foot and ankle surgeons, orthotists, and licensed physicians. The new brace features an easy-to-use lace up system and an elastic cuff at the top of the device ...