Lower Extremity Review
A $2,000,000 grant from the US Department of Defense’s (DoD) Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs’ Orthotics and Prosthetics Outcomes Research Program has been awarded to a group of institutional collaborators to study fall-related health outcomes in lower-limb prosthesis users, including…
Patients can roll away plantar fasciitis and other foot pain with the newly available Pro-Tec Athletics Spiky Massage Ball. The 3-inch-diameter firm massage ball has a spiky outer layer that offers a stimulating effect.
Bone loss (osteopenia/osteoporosis) and loss of muscle mass and function (sarcopenia) are two of the most prevalent chronic conditions among aging adults. However, the mention of osteosarcopenia might garner a few puzzled looks. This relatively new term describes a geriatric syndrome in which osteopenia/osteoporosis and sarcopenia overlap in the same individual.
By Aisha Cobbs, PhD
As diabetic foot ulcers plague more patients, wound care management—including a host of new technologies—are driving an increase in office visits. Diabetes mellitus is the leading cause for nontraumatic amputation. Since 1980, the number of people with diabetes around the world has nearly quadrupled, from 108 million to nearly 422 million in 2014—and it continues to rise.
By Michael Flores, DPM, and Marshall G. Solomon, DPM, FACPM, FACFAS, FFPM RCPS (qlas)
Like a good medical exam, a medical bike fit starts before the patient ever gets on the bike. Talking with cycling patients before any assessments can facilitate the diagnostic process. Bike fitting is a service that has been offered in bike shops and studios for decades. Bike fitting is also a medical service offered by physicians, physical therapists, chiropractors, and other qualified health care providers.
By Andrea Myers, PT, DPT
It’s been a tough few weeks for exercise in healthcare, both on social media and in the literature. A recent systematic review1 has shown it provides little to no benefit for acute low back pain. Then a popular blogger called it ‘snake oil’ and a ‘dirty word.’2 And finally, a discussion on twitter questioned my favorite slogan of ‘you can’t go wrong getting strong.’
By Adam Meakins, BSc (Hons), Physiotherapy
Workplace safety, the right to be safe in your workplace and while going about the activities of your work, was certainly a thing before the COVID-19 pandemic struck. However, the pandemic laid bare some of the realities of the workplace that so many of us never even thought about. I’m talking, of course, about Personal Protective Equipment, or PPE.
By Craig J. Hubbard, Inventor/Designer
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to rage, so-called “COVID toes” continue to be reported around the world. These dermatologic manifestations were catalogued in a recent international registry-based case series, adding to the emerging evidence that pernio-like lesions may be a cutaneous manifestation of COVID-19.
Baton twirling, which has been around in some form since military groups first twirled torches and rifles, is evolving into a highly competitive sport, drawing ever larger numbers of youth athletes. Today’s twirling is a unique performance-based sport that emphasizes strength, athleticism, and artistry. It requires fine coordination of fingers, hands, arms, feet, and legs, as well as extraordinary control of the back, stomach, and torso—all so the twirler can control the baton.
Dancing can be a beautiful work of art, a great form of exercise, or a fun leisure activity. But increasingly, it is also the cause of injuries requiring an emergency room visit. Such visits rose by 22.5% from 2014 to 2018, according to new research presented at the 2020 NATA Virtual Clinical Symposia & AT Expo held July 2020. Nearly half of the patients reported to the emergency department with a sprain or…
Movement control, the ability to control one’s own movements, is required for the development of motor skills and motor skills (also known as “physical literacy”) are critical for normative development. Movement skills help children improve their strength, posture, balance, and sleep, and play in role in developing confidence. Age-appropriate movement control may play a factor in lower extremity injuries which are known to…
Early sports specialization appears to take an even greater toll on young females than previously thought. Research presented at the recent 2020 NATA Virtual Clinical Symposia & AT Expo suggests that prior sports specialization is associated with an increased risk of a lower extremity stress fracture in female U.S. Service Academy cadets, but not males during their first year of service.
To facilitate research, therapy, and diagnosis, FH-Prof. Dr. Brian Horsak and his colleagues at the St. Pölten University of Applied Sciences (UAS), Austria, and the Austrian insurance institution AUVA have published one of the biggest data records worldwide on gait analysis. The data include anonymized information on over 2,000 patients after joint transplantations, fractures, and ligament injuries…
Ben Conner, a third-year MD/PhD student at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix, is studying a robotic walking therapy for children with cerebral palsy (CP). His research is part of an interdisciplinary team housed at Northern Arizona University’s Biomechatronics Lab, which is led by Zachary Lerner, PhD, assistant professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was signed into law 30 years ago, but the needs of people with mobility disabilities continue to be overlooked and unheard, according to the 2020 Drive for Inclusion Report Card published by BraunAbility, a manufacturer of wheelchair-accessible vehicles and lifts. In their recent survey, only 15% of this population is satisfied with the current effectiveness of ADA laws, and nearly half feel excluded from…
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