In a pre-specified, 3-year extension of a randomized clinical trial of equivalence, close-contact casting maintained equivalence in function compared to surgery in older adults with unstable ankle fracture. Furthermore, no significant differences were reported in quality of life or pain. The authors concluded that the focus of treatment for these patients should be on obtaining and maintaining reduction until union, using the most conservative means possible.
Lower Extremity Review
Lower-extremity amputation feared more than death
Both type 1 and type 2 diabetes are known for their life-threatening complications—in particular, blindness from retinopathy, kidney failure, and peripheral neuropathy. For patients with diabetes and foot pathology, amputation is a significant worry. A recent study in Foot & Ankle Specialist sought to understand just how much this population fears lower-extremity amputation (LEA).
Wasp stings: Some really do hurt more than others, and how to counsel patients
As summer approaches and we become more active outdoors, wasps will become more active, too. Two recent studies highlight the pain and danger of the ubiquitous wasp. The first study, from entomologists at the University of Utah, looked at stinger length compared to reported pain and toxicity.1
Flip flops, bare feet, or sports shoes: Which are best and which are worst?
Many have long suspected the answer, but a new study would appear to resolve the question: Are flip flops really that bad for your feet? According to Chen and colleagues from the Department of Biomedical Engineering at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, flip flops are most likely no better than barefoot when it comes to lower-limb co-contraction and joint contact force in the ankle.
In a perfect world, no one would need health insurance
In my podiatric practice, I have found that health insurance can impede patient care, by adding layers of complication and burden to all involved, particularly the patient and the provider. Private-sector insurance companies have profits to make, buildings to build, shareholders to satisfy, and overhead costs to pay. Government-run plans have costs, exclusionary policies, bureaucratic oversight, and a changing landscape as administrations change.
By Jay Segel, DPM
Med Spec Supinator PTT Stabilizer
Med Spec introduces the new Supinator PTT Stabilizer, a comfortable and relatively low-profile brace for the treatment of posterior tibial tendon dysfunction (PTTD). With its patent-pending design, the Supinator reduces overpronation by applying a supinating force.
Mastercare Mini Therapy Table
Mastercare – The Swedish Back Care System, Model Mini is a professional therapy table that can be used to reduce injury risk for runners. The unit strengthens and decompresses the muscles of the back to relieve pressure on the lower extremity joints, as well as the back. The table is easy-to-use and folds away for convenient storage when not in use.
Capture Complete Gait Analysis in Minutes!
Tekscan’s Strideway has simplified the gait analysis process with easy access to essential gait parameters and a platform that is flexible in length. Unlike other systems, Strideway provides pressure information, as well as spatial, temporal and kinetic parameters for a complete gait analysis.
Pro Select Full Shell Pneumatic Walker
The Pro Select Full Shell Air Walker from Elite Orthopaedics, Inc.features a full circumference shell design that provides controlled immobilization of the lower leg, ankle, and foot. A breathable insole, featuring patent-pending technology, allows for air to circulate to prevent the accumulation of heat during patient usage.
Fracture Sock to Reduce Irritation
New from Elite Orthopaedics is the Fracture Sock, designed to reduce skin irritation while wearing an ankle walker. The latex-free fracture sock is composed of 100% synthetic knit for superior moisture absorption. An improved cross stitch provides better compression, which helps reduce the risk of friction and lessens the risk of sock bunching.
Limb Salvage or Amputation of the Diabetic Foot?
The decision often hinges on how a given intervention will affect the patient’s quality of life. How, then, to define optimal QoL for your patient, and to agree on the means to achieve it? As clinicians well know, diabetes puts patients at risk of foot ulcers that can lead to poor outcomes, evidenced by the 40% 5-year mortality in patients with newly diagnosed diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs).
By Cary Groner
Making the most of resistance training in the management of knee osteoarthritis
Most physical therapists maintain that resistance training is beneficial to patients with knee osteoarthritis, but evidence from trials that have been designed with consistency is lacking. Experts discuss how to create an effective regimen given this information vacuum.
By Jill R. Dorson
Gait therapy in osteoarthritis of the hip: An assessment
Although clinicians and researchers have been gathering data for the use of gait therapy in patients with knee OA for some time, its use in hip OA is less far along, but shows promise. Does correcting for gait abnormalities have a role in the treatment of hip osteoarthritis (OA)?
By Nicole Wetsman
Footwear Designed to Reduce Risk of Falling
Described by the manufacturer as the first-ever footwear scientifically designed to reduce a person’s risk of falling, the Moore Balance Shoe (MBS) by Apex is the latest in OHI’s suite of fall risk therapies. The shoes feature a firm, adjustable heel counter with convenient Velcro strap closure.
Does athletes’ divided attention affect mechanics associated with ACL injury?
We might be falling short in our efforts to prevent ACL injury by allowing athletes to focus on how they are moving during screening. Almost 8 million athletes participate in high school sports each year in the United States, and an additional 490,000 compete at the intercollegiate level.
By Sarah Marie Tighe, SPT, and Thomas Gus Almonroeder, PT, DPT, PhD
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