Lower Extremity Review
We all strive for healthy and happy lives, and many of us are fortunate to reach these goals. For these people, living in the physical world is not a challenge but a pleasure. The world does not overwhelm them; rather, it interacts and plays with them in enjoyable ways. To quote Walt Whitman, we “swim with the swimmers, wrestle with the…
By Paul DeVita, PhD
Cerebral Palsy (CP) represents the most common cause of motor disability in childhood with dysfunctional gait being one of the main problems. Early adoption of intervention programs adapted to the patient’s functional limitation and disability represent the current standard of care; therapeutic approaches include Ankle-Foot Orthoses (AFOs) for which the evidence shows they…
By Keith Loria
Use of negative-pressure wound therapy (NPWT) is growing in the management of complex wounds as well as foot and ankle surgery. Researchers from Rush University Medical Center in Chicago and Wake Forest Baptist Health Center in North Carolina recently published a review of the evidence for NPWT in Foot & Ankle International. Their findings related to diabetic foot and neuropathic ulcers are excerpted here.
The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) and the Arthritis Foundation (AF) partnered to update and publish the 2019 ACR/AF Guideline for the Management of Osteoarthritis [OA] of the Hand, Hip and Knee. Last published in 2012, the updated guideline includes contributions to the literature since the last publication, and for the first time direct patient participation was incorporated.
By Laura Fonda Hochnadel
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a respiratory illness that can spread from person to person. The virus that causes COVID-19 is a novel coronavirus that was first identified during an investigation into an outbreak in Wuhan, China. COVID-19 is spreading from person to person in parts of the United States. Risk of infection with COVID-19 is higher for people who are close contacts of someone known to have COVID-19, for example healthcare workers, or household members.
Test your knowledge of information from this issue of Lower Extremity Review and the world in general with our new crossword puzzle feature.
Peripheral arterial disease may be a common finding among those over 50, but it remains underdiagnosed. Choosing the right diagnostic test is key. Eight million men and women in the United States have lower extremity peripheral arterial disease (PAD).1 PAD is a common finding among patients over age 50, yet it is frequently underdiagnosed.
By Brittany Mammano, DPM, PGY-1, and Saba Sadra, DPM, MSc
Unique partnership between University Hospitals’ Sports Medicine Team and the Cleveland Ballet focuses on performer preparation to avoid long-term problems. Efficient movement in ballet is easy to recognize, as every step the dancer takes flows seamlessly into the next, representing a perfect balance of muscular engagement and release.
By Douglas J. Guth
Use the scale provided here to help you assess standing posture, including the nature and extent of deviation from normal, in children with a developmental disability. Proper standing alignment requires that muscles, bones, and joints are in correct relation to each other, creating elongation and symmetry while counteracting the detrimental force of gravity.
By Dalia Zwick, PT, PHD
Communication, education, and empathy—combined with a solid knowledge base of the disease—are key components of successful management of these damaging, even life-threatening, lesions. Diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) can be concerning to patients and providers for multiple reasons. From the patient’s perspective, DFUs can be uncomfortable, even painful, and a source of embarrassment from a…
By Angela Kelley, PA-C
CGS, the Durable Medical Equipment Medicare Administrative Contractor (DME MAC) for Jurisdictions B and C, has introduced a modifier recommendation tool. The Advanced Modifier Engine was designed by CGS to assist suppliers in billing proper Healthcare Common Procedure Coding Systems (HCPCS) codes and modifier combinations.
Noridian, the Jurisdiction D Durable Medical Equipment Medicare Administrative Contractor (DME MAC) is conducting Targeted Probe and Educate (TPE) reviews for several specialties, among which are ankle-foot orthoses (AFOs), knee orthoses, and therapeutic shoes. The quarterly edit effectiveness results from October 2019 through…
A new line of wearable robotics developed by The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) and The City University of New York, City College (CCNY) could keep seniors on their feet longer. A prototype developed by Hao Su, PhD, an assistant professor at CCNY, and tested by Gerard Francisco, MD, and Shuo-Hsiu (James) Chang, PT, PhD, of…
Three graduates of the Prosthetic-Orthotic Technician Program at George Brown College, Ontario, Canada, have collaborated on a new children’s book, which was recently published and is available for sale on Amazon. Beau and His New AFO: A Children’s Guide to Ankle Foot Orthoses was written by Stephanie Blunt and illustrated by Amelia Levick and Katrina Whitmell.
MediKaki, a new shoe store “that is offering more than shoes,” recently opened in Penang, Malaysia. A team lead by Mogan Naidu, MD, will be screening and assessing patients and will also provide a range of affordable house shoes, depth shoes with custom orthotics, and full custom footwear. Naidu is a wound care provider, head of…
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