Lower Extremity Review
Knee extensor muscle development appears to outpace patellar tendon development in elite male adolescent volleyball players, which may increase their risk of patellar tendinopathy and other overuse injuries, according to research from Berlin, Germany.
A Stanford University study suggests that turf toe injury rates in collegiate football players are lower than expected, possibly as a result of improvements in synthetic turf technology.
A balance training program featuring a virtual reality feedback component improves postural stability and coordination in patients with diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN), which may in turn reduce their risk of falling, according to a study published in the November-December 2013 issue of the Journal of the American Podiatric Medical Association.
Practitioners should educate patients with diabetes about benefits of custom therapeutic footwear to encourage its use, according to a usability survey conducted by Dutch investigators.
First metatarsal (M1) length after metatarsal head resection influences reulceration risk, according to researchers at Complutense University of Madrid.
Increasing numbers of patients are finding relief from chronic low back pain with the use of foot orthoses, but the mechanism underlying the positive outcomes is largely unknown.
By Larry Hand
Many knee injury prevention programs do not focus on ankle dorsiflexion range of motion and hip adductor activation, but research suggests both distal and proximal variables contribute to alterations in frontal plane knee biomechanics and could affect injury risk.
By Darin A. Padua, PhD, ATC, and Micheal A. Clark, DPT, MS, PES, CES
Advocates of surgical nerve decompression in a subset of patients with diabetic neuropathy have published some impressive outcomes, but critics of the procedure point to the conspicuous absence of randomized trials. The issue has become one of the most contentious in diabetes care.
By Cary Groner
Physical impairments associated with femoroacetabular impingement include limited range of motion, muscle weakness, and altered biomechanics. Attention to these areas during rehabilitation can improve surgical outcomes and may even reduce the risk of osteoarthritis.
By Jerrad R. Guenther, BSc, Michael K. Gilbart MD, FRCS(C), MEd, and Michael A. Hunt PT, PhD
Research suggests that obesity influences the development of Achilles tendinopathy to a greater degree than other types of foot and ankle pain. This phenomenon will become increasingly important to lower extremity practitioners as global obesity rates continue to rise.
By Ryan T. Scott, DPM, AACFAS, and Christopher F. Hyer, DPM, MS, FACFAS
Hip strengthening can improve short-term outcomes related to patellofemoral pain syndrome, but further research is needed to determine the underlying mechanism and whether the same approach will also prove effective in managing patellofemoral osteoarthritis.
By Michael B. Pohl, PhD
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