Lower Extremity Review
Exercises prescribed for rehabilitation after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction should be designed to protect the healing graft from excessive strain in addition to rebuilding muscle strength and activation, according to evidence-based recommendations from a multicenter team of experts.
By Jordana Bieze Foster
The metabolic cost of running increases with heavier footwear, but barefoot running is no more metabolically efficient than running in a lightweight shoe, according to research from the University of Colorado at Boulder. In 12 men experienced in barefoot running,...
A custom-molded hinged ankle brace more effectively controls inversion during cutting maneuvers than two other brace designs tested by researchers from the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, a finding with potential implications regarding ankle sprain prevention. Eight...
Several studies presented in February found few differences in outcomes for minimally invasive total knee arthroplasty (TKA) and traditional TKA.
By Emily Delzell
In a study of acute Achilles tendon rupture published this month in the Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine, some strength and endurance measures improved earlier in those who underwent surgical versus nonsurgical care, but rerupture rates and patient-reported function...
Surgical hallux valgus correction significantly improves foot geometry and hallux kinematics but does not significantly change proximal kinematics, according to research from Marquette University in Milwaukee, WI. In a study published in the February issue of Foot...
Recent research from the University of Washington in Seattle confirms what many practitioners have already learned from treating patients with lower limb amputations: Sock thickness varies among different sock products of the same ply and is also affected by biomechanical conditions.
By Emily Delzell
Research from Canadian investigators suggests brace wear may positively affect activity level without decreasing muscle strength in patients with medial compartment knee osteoarthritis (OA). Investigators from Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia followed 24 patients...
Researchers at the University of Salford in Manchester, UK, reported in March that a pilot study comparing two therapeutic shoe soles in eight individuals with claudication showed a reduction in calf pain with rocker sole wear. The investigators asked study...
There are plenty of reasons you might be thinking about seeing Moneyball. Maybe you’re wondering how anyone could have turned that book into a movie. Maybe you’re curious about how Angelina’s better half and the kid from Superbad ended up with Oscar nominations. Maybe you just need to forget about the snow on your lawn and try to get in the mood for Opening Day.
Jordana Bieze Foster, Editor
Quantitative research from The Netherlands suggests that for every ankle foot orthosis, there is an optimal stiffness associated with the lowest energy cost of walking for a given set of gait-related impairments. Achieving this optimal device stiffness in practice, however, may require clinicians to rethink conventional approaches to AFO prescription.
By Daan J.J. Bregman, PhD
Barefoot training and balance training have each been effective in studies of runners, but combining the methods could lead to even better results.
By Emily Splichal, DPM, MS, CPT
Demonstrated associations between impaired proprioception and knee osteoarthritis suggest some interventions that help relieve painful symptoms in patients with knee osteoarthritis , such as exercise and bracing, do so by positively affecting joint position sense.
By Barbara Boughton
Falls are common, disabling and costly. Causes are multifactorial but include foot disorders, ill-fitting footwear, and poor balance. Recent research supports a multidisciplinary approach to falls prevention and indicates that lower extremity practitioners can play an important role.
By Hylton B. Menz, PhD, and Martin J. Spink, BPod(Hons)
Hospitals with multidisciplinary diabetic foot care programs have found that adding vascular surgeons to the team makes their amputation prevention efforts more effective, but also adds an extra layer of challenges in terms of coordination and communication.
By Cary Groner
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