Lower Extremity Review
New research suggests that vasti muscle activation in women varies throughout the menstrual cycle, adding to the growing body of literature pointing to a connection between sex hormones and knee injury risk. The exact nature of that relationship, however, remains unclear.
By Matthew S. Tenan, MA, ATC, and Lisa Griffin, PhD
Diagnostic challenges should not delay clinical intervention
Hypotonia, or abnormally low muscle tone, is by itself not a disorder but a symptom of an enormous array of issues—many of which can be difficult to diagnose accurately. Even in the absence of a specific underlying diagnosis, however, children with hypotonia can benefit from clinical intervention.
By Christina Hall Nettles
Quantifying the effects of hypotonia starts in the clinic
Effective management of children with hypotonia requires an understanding of how the condition affects gait. Clinicians typically rely on their professional experience when discussing the effects of hypotonia on gait in pediatric patients, partly because they trust that experience, but also because so little research has actually elucidated these effects.
By Cary Groner
New research underscores years of positive clinical results
When it comes to orthotic management of pediatric patients with hypotonia, the medical literature is only beginning to document the effectiveness that clinicians have been reporting anecdotally for years.
By Cary Groner
Each child in this case series was assessed every other week for 16 weeks to determine mastery of items 23, 26-28, 30-39, and 41 (ranging from “pull to stand” to “walk fast”) on the Peabody Developmental Motor Scale. Test instructions were modified as needed for children to understand them. Parents were included in each session and encouraged to play with the child in order to demonstrate the targeted skills. Graphs illustrate age of mastery for each item number for the hypotonic child compared to a “typical” child, with linear trend lines illustrating rate of change, and demonstrate the improved mastery of skills after prescription of supramalleolar orthoses (SMOs). The cases will be presented in September at the O&P World Congress in Orlando, FL.
By Megan Smith, CO
The American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA) announced the winners of its 2013 APMA Annual Scientific Meeting Abstract Competition on July 24 at its annual meeting, held in Las Vegas. APMA presented awards to first-, second-, and third-place winners in five...
The University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) will hold the official ribbon-cutting ceremony for its new $6-million biomechanics research facility on September 5 during the annual meeting of the American Society of Biomechanics. The 23,000-square-foot building houses...
A topical antifungal manufactured by Palo Alto, CA-based Ancor Pharmaceuticals clears nails and fungal infection in people with onychomycosis, according to data presented in July at the 2013 American Podiatric Medical Association Annual Scientific Meeting held in Las...
The Empi Phoenix, a neuromuscular electrical stimulator designed to supplement physical therapy before or after surgery for total knee replacement or anterior cruciate ligament repair, has received 510(k) clearance from the Food and Drug Administration, according to a...
The Datalys Center for Sports Injury Research and Prevention in Indianapolis announced in July that its data collection is expanding beyond college sports to include national youth, high school, and amateur sports programs. The National Collegiate Athletic Association...
The Environmental Protection Agency granted public health claim approval in July to Richmond, VA-based Cupron for the antifungal properties of its new copper-infused diabetic socks. The PRO Therapy System socks kill 99.9% of Trichophyton mentagrophytes (athlete’s foot...
Cleveland State University (CSU) opened the doors in July to its new Parker Hannifin Motion and Control Lab, where the research focus is assistive technology. Lab scientists are working on computerized “smart” prosthetic limbs that react like natural limbs and robotic...
R&D Magazine highlighted its picks for the year’s best technology in July, naming Oklahoma City-based Orthocare Innovations’ microprocessor foot-ankle system to its list of the 100 most technologically significant products introduced in the last year. Other...
Vetbiz.gov, an arm of the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), certified Evanston, IL-based DM Systems in July as a veteran-owned small business. DM Systems president and owner Denis Drennan, MD, is a Vietnam veteran who won the Bronze Star for his service....
The Midwest Chapter of the American Academy of Orthotists and Prosthetists made its annual donation in July to the Orthotic & Prosthetic Activities Foundation's Dale Yasukawa Scholarship. The $1000 donation will help sustain the scholarship of an O&P student...
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