Lower Extremity Review
Knee stiffness during landing in patients who have had anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction is associated with biomarkers for cartilage degeneration, suggesting that a stiff landing technique may increase the risk of knee osteoarthritis…
By Jordana Bieze Foster
Contrary to popular opinion among soccer players, ankle bracing and taping do not adversely affect soccer-specific athletic performance in experienced athletes, according to research presented in May at the annual ACSM meeting.
By Jordana Bieze Foster
Surgery may restore sensation at great toe – Although some research has described sensory nerve dysfunction as a potential complication of hallux valgus surgery, most patients undergoing the procedure have measureable preoperative deficits—and most of these…
By Emily Delzell
A detailed look at factors related to emotional distress in patients with painful diabetic neuropathy found that, among other issues, being socially isolated increases anxiety and can worsen individuals’ experience of pain and quality of life.
By Emily Delzell
Patients with multiple sclerosis and foot drop find that both ankle foot orthoses (AFOs) and functional electrical stimulation (FES) have pros and cons, but that, overall, the positives of both devices outweigh the negatives, according to research from Queen Margaret University in Edinburgh, UK.
By Jordana Bieze Foster
As a guest model on The Price is Right, Amy Purdy had little opportunity to showcase her intelligence, her athleticism, or her dancing skills. But—thanks to a very short, very tight red dress—she did have ample opportunity to show off her legs.
Jordana Bieze Foster, Editor
Plantar pressure analysis studies are demonstrating the effectiveness of met pads for forefoot offloading and helping clinicians determine which patients are most likely to benefit from different pad designs and placement strategies.
By Greg Gargiulo
Baseball players at all skill levels routinely suffer from foot and ankle injuries, with position players being afflicted more often than pitchers or catchers. Making the correct initial diagnosis without delay can lead to more rapid and effective treatment, rehabilitation, and return to play.
By Gabriel V. Gambardella, DPM, Jeffrey Delott, DPM, and Zachary J. Korwek
When commercially available active video games are used in rehabilitation settings, often the level of challenge does not match the patient’s ability level. Customized interventions can address these limitations while capitalizing on the fun and motivating aspects of the technology.
By Rachel Proffitt, OTD, OTR/L
In both the short term and the long term, anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction produced greater quality of life improvements at a lower cost compared with rehabilitation only, suggesting that limiting access to ACL reconstruction may be harmful to patients and costly to society.
By Richard C. Mather III, MD, and Lane Koenig, PhD
Clinicians and researchers are increasingly utilizing exercise protocols focused on improving proprioception, range of motion, and strength to influence the more active and functional deficits that have been associated with chronic ankle instability in the literature.
By Mark A. Feger, MEd, ATC, and Jay Hertel, PhD, ATC
Sometimes, even when new treatment materials are available, it may be better to rely on traditional options. Such may be the case when it comes to choosing a molding material to form casts for children with clubfoot or fractures.
By Larry Hand
Despite the slim odds of securing an athletic scholarship and the even slimmer prospect of playing professional sports, there’s an overemphasis today on success in competitive youth sports, including specialization and…
By P.K. Daniel
Preliminary evidence supports the use of a new internal technique for limb lengthening, according to data from the International Center for Limb Lengthening (ICLL) at the Rubin Institute for Advanced Orthopedics of Sinai Hospital in Baltimore.
By Samantha Rosenblum
When a child is required to wear ankle foot orthoses (AFOs), his or her clothes have to be more than just cute. Trying to match the logistical requirements of AFOs with fashion concerns and psychosocial development can be a challenge for patients and parents alike.
By Shalmali Pal
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